Quilna Theatre

315 W. Market Street,
Lima, OH 45801

No one has favorited this theater yet

View larger map →

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Schine Circuit Inc., Selected Theatres Co.

Architects: Walter DeKalb, John Adolph Emil Eberson

Previous Names: Regent Theatre

Nearby Theaters

The Regent Theatre opened September 11, 1919 with Constance Talmadge in “The Temperamental Wife”. This house was originally operated by the Shawnee Amusement Company and financed largely by the Bijou Theatre Enterprises Company of Detroit. On April 9, 1922 it was renamed the Quilna Theatre, the name under which it operated until closing in the 1960’s.

In 1970 the Quilna Theatre was demolished to provide a parking lot for the adjacent Trinity United Methodist Church.

Contributed by Joe Vogel

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

CSWalczak on September 19, 2012 at 11:59 am

There is a small picture of the Quilna Theatre on its page at CinemaTour and this webpage shows an ad for the Quilna that appeared in the January 25, 1945 edition o the Lima News.

Karen Colizzi Noonan on July 8, 2013 at 5:00 pm

I have just acquired a small eBay trinket from the Schine Quilna Theater. It advertises the film Ben Hur with Carmel Myers indicating the year would have been 1925. Does anyone know what years this theater would have been under the Schine chain?

rivest266 on February 2, 2014 at 1:36 pm

1922 and 1940 grand opening ad are now in the photo section.

Joe Vogel on March 24, 2014 at 11:39 am

Here is a brief article about the Quilna Theatre project from the March 8, 1919, issue of The Moving Picture World:

“Bijou Syndicate Builds New Theatre in Lima

“LIMA, OHIO, is to have a handsome new moving picture theatre. The Shawnee Amusement Company will operate the house, which is one of thirty-seven in Ohio and nearby states, the bulk of the capital being furnished by the Bijou Theatre Enterprise Company of Detroit.

“The new theatre, which will seat 1,500 persons, is to have a $10,000 Hope-Jones organ, leather upholstered chairs and a balcony given over entirely to boxes, each fitted with six wicker chairs. It will be located in the handsome brick building now being used by the Heniger Auto Sales Company. This building was completed about a year ago and is especially adapted for uses of this kind. It is situated next to the Trinity Methodist Church.

“J. J. Zanone, formerly manager of Lima’s Majestic, will have entire charge of the theatre, and promises up-to-date releases and a progressive policy generally. He has engaged a ten-piece orchestra, which will furnish the music with each showing. At least $50,000 will be spent on improving the building.”

The February 21, 1919, issue of The Lima News reported that local architect Walter DeKalb would work with theater architect John Eberson on the project.

Joe Vogel on March 24, 2014 at 11:52 am

The August 6, 1919, issue of The new York Clipper reported that the Butterfield circuit’s new Regent Theatre in Lima, Ohio, was expected to open on August 28. Butterfield planned to open another Regent in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on August 31, and had lately begun construction on a third house of that name in Flint, Michigan.

rivest266 on October 21, 2022 at 3:36 pm

Opened September 11th, 1919.

Regent Theatre opening 11 Sep 1919, Thu The Lima News (Lima, Ohio) Newspapers.com