Not sure when it closed, but it was already a video store by 1987 when it was photographed for the NRHP listing. There is now a neon sign which may be a recreation of the original, but the facade has been painted in a tacky house-flipper scheme.
Architect needs to be corrected, per Joe’s comment 15 years ago. This seems to be open again showing $1 movies, and hosting parties. It’s hard to tell because the website seems to be dead, but recent reviews mention movies. As you can see from the most recent photo, that repulsive shingle trash has been removed from the facade, and a recreation of the historic marquee has replaced the cheap plastic junk.
Thanks, Joe. Sounds like I’m safe to create an entry for the Auditorium, which may have been called the Volga as well.
SethG
commented about
Cinema 8on
Aug 29, 2025 at 11:22 am
It’s been the Cinema 8 for some time. Correct address is 219. Slightly less ugly since a remodel, but still just a boring box in an unattractive old strip mall.
306 is an empty lot on the 1916 map. There was a small wooden storefront there in 1911. This contributor routinely has the wrong locations. The two theaters on the 1916 map are an opera house at 505, which would have been replaced by the College, and a smaller building at 416 Williams (now 4th). That building is still there, and that portion is a laundromat.
This theater was open by 1914-15. It was located in the Healy Block, which is a two story double storefront commercial block with a Sioux quartzite facade. It was constructed in 1904. The 1911 map shows the ground floor used as a pool room. Judging by the capacity, this must have been in one half of the building. The address recently belonged to a bar in the northern half, which has closed.
It was a few Mexican restaurants within a few years. It’s been a spa for some time now. The building had murals covering the windows when I visited in 2014, but it’s been refurbished and the upper stories are likely apartments.
The building was built sometime between 1910 and 1916 as an Odd Fellows Hall. The 1916 map shows the northern section as a grocery with a 332 address, and the southern section as a bakery with a 338 address. I assume from the small capacity that this theater was only in one half of the ground floor, and likely the northern half.
The building that the Lounge opened in was very old, dating to sometime before 1884. It was a large two story wooden building with brick veneer. The 1904 map shows the original theater space (the east half of the larger theater shown above) as a furniture store.
This is probably the theater shown on the 1927 Sanborn. It was located at 30 S 4th St. The 1926 listings have it as the Rex. By 1930 the Pearl is the listed theater. The 1931 Yearbook shows a capacity of 250. This was a very plain and basic one story wooden building with a brick front. It was demolished many years ago.
The Grand did not open prior to 1914, unless it had a different name (Imp or Irwin Amusement Co. are possibilites). David’s map is from 1919, not 1914. The Grand is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. I have created an entry for the Grand, and his map view should be moved there.
The new facade is very cheap and characterless. Looks like part of a strip mall. The interior appears to have no design at all. The old facade was a bit odd, but was at least historic.
The address is wrong. It’s either 2009 as pointed out many years ago, or 2007 as Wikipedia states. I saw this in September 2009, and I must have just missed the wonderful, shabby, grimy marquee. The whole thing was covered in scaffolding and the marquee had been ripped off, so I only got a few shots of one of the entries. Work is moving very slowly. The scaffolding reappears in the 2024 streetview, after a long absence.
I added a Sanborn view to show the general plan. Neither the Alvin nor New Alvin are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. It may have been live theater only at that point.
This listing is really awful. There is no history or anything. It is also sort of a mess. Most of the pictures are of the much larger Bijou downtown, which I will create a listing for. Only the color postcard is correct.
This theater was not shown on the 1906 map. It is listed in the 1914-15 AMPD, and appears to have closed before 1926. The 1924 volume of the Sanborn maps covering this area is unfortunately missing. This was demolished many years ago. The buildings on the site today appear to be 1940s department stores.
The picture is the wrong Bijou. I’ll create an entry for that one. This entry is about a much smaller theater way out on the east end of town. Assuming the address is correct, this one is a bit confusing. The 1906 map shows 7707 as a small one story wooden building. By 1924, it has been replaced by a larger one story brick building, but the address is now 7709. 7707 is now the eastern half of a two story wooden building which was an office with a single 7705 address on the 1906 map.
I believe the three story bar at 7709 today was likely the site of the theater. The 1924 map shows the one story brick store at 7709 with a small wooden awning on the front. I am almost positive that was the old theater. It may well have operated with a 7707 address. If that’s the case, then it was demolished by the mid-late 1920s to be replaced by the current building.
Not sure when it closed, but it was already a video store by 1987 when it was photographed for the NRHP listing. There is now a neon sign which may be a recreation of the original, but the facade has been painted in a tacky house-flipper scheme.
Architect needs to be corrected, per Joe’s comment 15 years ago. This seems to be open again showing $1 movies, and hosting parties. It’s hard to tell because the website seems to be dead, but recent reviews mention movies. As you can see from the most recent photo, that repulsive shingle trash has been removed from the facade, and a recreation of the historic marquee has replaced the cheap plastic junk.
This listing needs updating. Should be listed as demolished, and was somewhere on Main, probably down near the railroad.
Thanks, Joe. Sounds like I’m safe to create an entry for the Auditorium, which may have been called the Volga as well.
It’s been the Cinema 8 for some time. Correct address is 219. Slightly less ugly since a remodel, but still just a boring box in an unattractive old strip mall.
306 is an empty lot on the 1916 map. There was a small wooden storefront there in 1911. This contributor routinely has the wrong locations. The two theaters on the 1916 map are an opera house at 505, which would have been replaced by the College, and a smaller building at 416 Williams (now 4th). That building is still there, and that portion is a laundromat.
So 1910-22? Thanks!
Thanks, Joe!
This theater was open by 1914-15. It was located in the Healy Block, which is a two story double storefront commercial block with a Sioux quartzite facade. It was constructed in 1904. The 1911 map shows the ground floor used as a pool room. Judging by the capacity, this must have been in one half of the building. The address recently belonged to a bar in the northern half, which has closed.
This may briefly have reopened in the 1930s as the Ritz, in which case the capacity was 400.
Almost all of the pictures from the other Bijou and Bijou Dream listings should be moved here.
Architect was Leopold Eidlitz.
It was a few Mexican restaurants within a few years. It’s been a spa for some time now. The building had murals covering the windows when I visited in 2014, but it’s been refurbished and the upper stories are likely apartments.
The building was built sometime between 1910 and 1916 as an Odd Fellows Hall. The 1916 map shows the northern section as a grocery with a 332 address, and the southern section as a bakery with a 338 address. I assume from the small capacity that this theater was only in one half of the ground floor, and likely the northern half.
The building that the Lounge opened in was very old, dating to sometime before 1884. It was a large two story wooden building with brick veneer. The 1904 map shows the original theater space (the east half of the larger theater shown above) as a furniture store.
This seems to be a duplicate entry for the Cinema 3. The dates are wrong.
The correct address is 226 Dakota Ave S. A small fragment of the building remains, stuck to the side of 222.
The building was almost certainly built to include the theater. It does not appear on the 1904 map.
This is probably the theater shown on the 1927 Sanborn. It was located at 30 S 4th St. The 1926 listings have it as the Rex. By 1930 the Pearl is the listed theater. The 1931 Yearbook shows a capacity of 250. This was a very plain and basic one story wooden building with a brick front. It was demolished many years ago.
This is listed in 1926 and 1927 as the Grand-Maute.
The Grand did not open prior to 1914, unless it had a different name (Imp or Irwin Amusement Co. are possibilites). David’s map is from 1919, not 1914. The Grand is not listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. I have created an entry for the Grand, and his map view should be moved there.
The new facade is very cheap and characterless. Looks like part of a strip mall. The interior appears to have no design at all. The old facade was a bit odd, but was at least historic.
The address is wrong. It’s either 2009 as pointed out many years ago, or 2007 as Wikipedia states. I saw this in September 2009, and I must have just missed the wonderful, shabby, grimy marquee. The whole thing was covered in scaffolding and the marquee had been ripped off, so I only got a few shots of one of the entries. Work is moving very slowly. The scaffolding reappears in the 2024 streetview, after a long absence.
I added a Sanborn view to show the general plan. Neither the Alvin nor New Alvin are listed in the 1914-15 AMPD. It may have been live theater only at that point.
This listing is really awful. There is no history or anything. It is also sort of a mess. Most of the pictures are of the much larger Bijou downtown, which I will create a listing for. Only the color postcard is correct.
This theater was not shown on the 1906 map. It is listed in the 1914-15 AMPD, and appears to have closed before 1926. The 1924 volume of the Sanborn maps covering this area is unfortunately missing. This was demolished many years ago. The buildings on the site today appear to be 1940s department stores.
The picture is the wrong Bijou. I’ll create an entry for that one. This entry is about a much smaller theater way out on the east end of town. Assuming the address is correct, this one is a bit confusing. The 1906 map shows 7707 as a small one story wooden building. By 1924, it has been replaced by a larger one story brick building, but the address is now 7709. 7707 is now the eastern half of a two story wooden building which was an office with a single 7705 address on the 1906 map.
I believe the three story bar at 7709 today was likely the site of the theater. The 1924 map shows the one story brick store at 7709 with a small wooden awning on the front. I am almost positive that was the old theater. It may well have operated with a 7707 address. If that’s the case, then it was demolished by the mid-late 1920s to be replaced by the current building.