Pix Theatre

729 Hennepin Avenue,
Minneapolis, MN 55403

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Metropolitan Theatres

Functions: Retail

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Time Theatre, Esquire Theatre, Newsreel Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Pix Theatre

Designed to be a newsreel theatre, the small, 250-seat Time Theatre ended up opening as a first-run film house September 1, 1934 with “The Lost Patrol”.

The simple Art Deco style Time Theatre began showing second-run films in 1936, which had played as long as two years earlier at near-by palaces like the Pantages Theatre and State Theatre. This remained a successful format until October 3, 1939 when it switched over to adult films, and was renamed the Esquire Theatre.

The Esquire Theatre would have several run-ins over the years with the police, mostly due to the names of the then-risque-sounding names of the films on its marquee. As ridiculous as it sounds today, in 1941, when the Esquire Theatre showed a movie starring former fan dancer Sally Rand called “Nude Ranch”, the authorities ordered the theatre’s owners to change the name of it to “Dude Ranch” on the marquee or face fines.

On December 6, 1941, adult fare was gone, and the Esquire Theatre given another name change, now called the Newsreel Theatre. It was run by Metropolitan Theatres of California, and finally used for the purpose it was built for nearly a decade earlier, for newsreels, which had become very popular in the late-1930’s when war broke out in Europe, and even moreso after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After a few years of strong business during World War II, the Newsreel Theatre once again changed its name and format. It became the Pix Theatre on January 8, 1947, and briefly was a roadshow house, but by 1952, had closed it doors. This time, it was for good, and was converted into retail space not long after.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

Sean Ryan
Sean Ryan on February 19, 2004 at 10:08 am

Nice night time marquee shot. This was recently home to Teener’s costume shop. The building is now vacant and for sale. It has great terra cotta on that narrow little facade.
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KJB2012
KJB2012 on August 2, 2007 at 6:39 pm

Today the building is vacant and for sale.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 15, 2017 at 5:57 am

Renamed Esquire on October 3rd, 1939. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 15, 2017 at 8:33 am

December 26th, 1941 grand opening ad as Newsreel in the photo section.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 15, 2017 at 10:00 am

January 8th, 1947 first ad as Pix in the photo section

rivest266
rivest266 on January 15, 2017 at 12:04 pm

September 1st, 1934 grand opening ad as Time in the photo section.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 16, 2024 at 8:46 pm

The May 22, 1948 issue of Boxoffice said that the Pix Theatre in Minneapolis, having returned to the name Newsreel a month previously, had once again restored the name Pix. The house was still under lease to Metropolitan Theatres, and showing double-feature revivals.

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