Main Twin Theatre

124-128 E. Main Street,
Ephrata, PA 17522

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Showing 14 comments

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on April 22, 2014 at 1:43 pm

As I posted on your picture post, those wall lights were saved when the theatre was torn down and were repaired and upgraded and installed in the twin theatres that were included within the new building that replaced the original theatre. As I mentioned in an earlier post even the box office was saved and used for the new theatres. Except it is now located inside rather than at the sidewalk.

Ross Care
Ross Care on April 22, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Please see my new photo of the Main interior with vintage light fixtures.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 22, 2014 at 9:12 am

The “Theatres Under Construction” column of The Film Daily for December 16, 1938, includes this brief note for the Main Theatre: “Ephrata — Main, 750 seats; Architect: D. Supowitz; Operator: Harry Stiefer; To be completed 12-15-38.”

Ross Care
Ross Care on February 6, 2010 at 2:42 pm

PS: The photos posted by LostMemory are great. Thanks.

Ross Care
Ross Care on February 6, 2010 at 2:41 pm

I loved this theater. It was almost exactly like some of the neighborhood theaters I used to attend when I was a kid in Harrisburg. I lived through the razing of the vintage theaters on the second block of N. Queen St. in Lancaster but it still broke my heart when the Main went.
I do remember that towards the end the roof was leaking and certain sections of seats were roped off lest the ceiling fell on someone!
I remember seeing Disney’s “Song of the South” at the Main, during what was probably its last re-issue prior to its being withdrawn from circulation.

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on April 25, 2009 at 6:56 pm

Those front doors still exist on the new office building and theatre combo. Even the box office is now inside at the theatre entrance.

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on August 23, 2008 at 11:08 am

Thanks Lost Memory. My original purpose in listing this theatre was the original theatre and it’s history. Adding what had become of some of the furnishings in the original was an afterthought. In my mind Cinema Treasures are the movie palaces of yester years. The multiplexes of today will never be Cinema Treasures in my eyes. They are showboxes with a white wall on one end. Although the Main Twin Theatres are a modern treasure by incorporating the decor of the original theatre.

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on August 23, 2008 at 7:15 am

Lost Memory – The original theatre was demolished. The theatre that was opened in 1938 is gone. I was the one to submit this theatre to Cinema Treasures. I was the one that wrote the above history. And as stated in that the theatre was purchased by the Denver and Ephrata Telephone company. The building was too deteriorated to be saved. The twin theatre operating there now is a new complex incorporated into the new office building that was built on the site of the original theatre. As I wrote above, they salvaged parts of the original theatre. The marquee is in use at the street entrance and the entrance to the parking garage. The box office is used at the inside entrance to the theatre. The original wall lights are used in both theatres.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 22, 2008 at 2:40 pm

The aka is duplicative of the title. Here is some additional information:
http://tinyurl.com/5lpnx4

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on December 17, 2005 at 7:52 pm

Management of the Main Theatre has recently been taken over by the gentleman who leased and operated the now closed Columbia Drive In outside of Columbia, PA. It was the last drive operating in Lancaster Co., Pa. Developers purchased the site and there have been many rumors as to its future use both commercial and residential. At one time, Budco operated the Drive In. I believe the drive in is listed on this website.

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on October 20, 2005 at 8:11 pm

Since the Main Twin Theatre reopened, shouldn’t this be another theater added to the list?

teecee
teecee on September 19, 2005 at 9:35 am

Check out this photo – great preservation job:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/haydnseek/35487222/

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on August 19, 2004 at 6:10 pm

I was wondering why for this listing, which I had added as one of my first “comments” upon joining in April is “contributed by Cinema Treasures?” There was no listing for this theatre until I “contributed” the above. thanks!