Gulf Theater

415 E. Main Street,
Robstown, TX 78380

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Robb & Rowley-United Inc., Rowley United Theatres Inc.

Architects: H. F. Pettigrew, John A. Worley

Firms: Pettigrew & Worley

Nearby Theaters

Gulf Theatre Fire 03

The Gulf Theater was opened April 29, 1949 and operated by Robb & Rowley-United Inc. It was taken over by Rowley United Theatres Inc. in 1951. They were still the operators in 1957.

By 1997 the Gulf Theater had become home to the Coastal Gymnastics Academy. They had moved out of the building by 2012. The vacant building was gutted by a fire August 9, 2012 and had been demolished by May 2016.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Yakima1
Yakima1 on October 15, 2010 at 5:54 am

Robstown had at least three drive-ins as follows:

Ruben Chavez Dr at John Wayne Dr – ‘The Airport Drive-in’ opened in Fall 1955 by Ray and Gilbert Garza (aka Garza Brothers). It started as a Spanish language drive-in.

Western Ave at W Ave D – ‘The San Pedro Drive-in’ opened in late 1953 or early 1954 by Arnulfo Gonzales and Tito Sandoval, managed by Tito Sandoval. It started with a two language double feature policy.

Hwy 44 – ‘The Starlite Drive-in’ and later as ‘The Robstown Drive-in’ when Hurricane Celia blew it down. It was operated by Robb-Rowley, Rowley United and finally United Artists. I’m not 100% sure that the ‘The Starlite’ and ‘The Robstown’ are one and the same…..I hope to have definitive evidence soon. I do know that ‘The Robstown’ was blown down by Celia and I know that it was on Hwy 44, and I know that a drive-in existed at that location before 1956 when it probably was not called ‘The Robstown’.

Jay Phagan
Jay Phagan on August 17, 2012 at 1:59 pm

On August 9, 2012, the Gulf Theater and a next-door dollar store were gutted by fire. Only the front and west walls of the theater were left standing.

The theater had been occupied by Coastal Gymnastics Academy for the past 15 years.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 21, 2019 at 2:17 am

In 1936 The Robstown Record was advertising a house called the New Palace Theatre. I wonder if that was a different theater or just an earlier aka for the Gulf?

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