Arcade Theatre

5436 Harford Road,
Baltimore, MD 21214

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Durkee, F.H., Enterprises

Architects: John F. Eyring, Oliver Birkhead Wight

Functions: Community Center

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Arcade Theatre

The Arcade Theatre opened May 18, 1928. It was remodeled in 1949 to the plans of architect John F. Eyring. It was a really cool theatre but somewhat plain. The theatre section is actually in the back of the structure and the main entrance is actually reached by walking down a long, indoor arcade of shops. It was closed in mid-1983.

In 2002 the beautiful marquee with all its lights and neon of the Arcade Theatre came down, due to safety reasons. The supports of the marquee had gotten weak, and the price to repair the heavy marquee was just too much, so it was taken down. Sadly, nothing of the marquee was saved.

The building is currently being used as a church after being used for years as a warehouse of sorts. The Arcade Theatre is in a great neighborhood, there’s no reason it couldn’t be reopened tomorrow as a theatre, but it was standing shuttered and unused for ages.

Now in use as an outreach center.

Contributed by Charles Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

randytheicon
randytheicon on June 12, 2009 at 5:41 pm

The Arcade reopened as a “Smart Bros.” dollar house in 1980 or 1981, but lasted only a few years.

randytheicon
randytheicon on June 12, 2009 at 5:44 pm

Also…the offices of F.H. Durkee Enterprises, owners of the Arcade, Senator and many other theatres, were located on the second floor of the shopping arcade.

MarkA
MarkA on April 18, 2020 at 8:57 am

The Arcade did not have an organ. Having explored the entire theatre, there is no evidence that there was ever one installed. The Avon, around the corner from the Arcade, appears to have had the Kilgen organ.

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