Penypak Theatre
8049 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19136
8049 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19136
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox Theatres (Reading, PA), Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: William Harold Lee
Functions: Restaurant, Retail
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Holme Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Holme Theatre, designed by William H. Lee opening on October 11, 1929 with Arthur Lake in “On With the Show” and Raymond McKee in “Look Out Below”. It was an Art Deco style movie house that could seat 1,364. The theatre stood on Frankford Avenue near Rhawn Street. It was operated by Warner-Equity Theatres. It was equipped with an United States organ. It was closed for refurbishment on January 8, 1942 and reopened on March 17, 1942 as the renamed Penypak Theatre (after nearby Penypack Park). The reopening movie was Kay Kyser in “The Playmates”. By 1950 it was operated by Fox Melvin Theaters (later to become Fox Theatres (Reading PA). It was closed on September 27, 1951 with Mario Lanza in “The Great Caruso”. It became an auction house in 1951, which closed in 1954.
It reopened on May 8, 1955 with James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" & Marlon Brando in “Desiree”. It was closed on October 30, 1955 with Anne Appleton in “The Desperate Women” & Richard Coogan in “Girl on the Run”. It again served briefly as an auction house. In 1959 it became a live theatre for the Penypak Players, but this closed after three months. In 1962 it was sold to a furniture store. Since then a number of businesses have used it, and in 2015 it is a Pizza Hut and a Boston Market in the lobby area and a Dollar Tree store (now Dollar General) in the auditorium. In 2025 the Pizza Hut and Dollar Tree as still operating.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 43 comments)
Right now much of Holmesburg’s future fate hangs on Independence Pointe and its getting developed the right way. And that right way could be one of two things — either its returning to be a riverside shipping terminal (which is what it was last) or developed with housing and other things in such a way so that the end result isn’t a Katrina/Love Canal disaster combined. And likewise the Holme Theatre building’s future fate hangs on how Independence Pointe gets developed. And with Independence Pointe’s future fate on hold for now, so, too, is the Holme Theatre building’s, which is why the Holme Theatre building is being allowed to serve as a mini mall for now. And the upcoming election between Schwartz and Bhakta (November 2006) has a great deal to do with things as well. Schwartz (who’s the incumbant) fully supports the current plan for Independence Pointe, which will end up being a Katrina/Love Canal disaster when all is said and done, whereby Bhakta is a candidate of real substance and vision. Bhakta actually thinks.
Here are two interesting views from the Philadelphia Architects & Buildings site. The first is an architectural rendering. Note the different spelling. The second is a 1941 photo from the Irvin Glazer collection:
http://tinyurl.com/2ubcn5
http://tinyurl.com/33hksc
Thanks for providing the two links, Ken MC, while I’d be curious to know if that was the spelling used on the actual marquee. With my only memories being of when it was all boarded up back in the late ‘50s, I don’t recall the name “Pennypack” being alternatively spelled that way. [but of course I wouldn’t, since it was before I’d learned to read yet.] Meantime, to date I have yet to uncover any photo showing it after it went from being the Holme. Local businessman/Holmesburg native Rudy Definis published a book of historic Holmesburg which went on sale in December 2007, but even there it shows the theater only when it was the Holme. I’d love to see how it looked during the post-WWII optimism phase and with the new name given.
Yes, that’s so typical of how it is around there now. It’s the current state of the Philadelphia economy, what more can I say?
Glad to see so much interest in my favorite movie theatre. However, in the comments I’ve seen the name is spelled incorrectly. The marquee said PENYPAK – not Pennypack.
I believe it first closed as a movie house in 1951, the reopened April of 1954 with “20,000 Leagues Under the See” as its first feature. I think it closed for good in 1959.
I have fond memories of the Saturday afternoon shows – especially the comedy races. Each kid got a ticket numbered one thru 10 and if your number was the winner of the race, you got a prize.
Also had some good times as a young teenager at Herby’s Auction which I believe was the first business enterprise after the movie house closed.
J. G. Caughie
Former Holmesburg resident
Compare this view to the photos of the facade in January 2006:
http://tinyurl.com/nywfjx
Glad to see that J.G. Caughie, who lived in Holmesburg, remembers that the marquee read PENYPAK – not Pennypack. Thanks!
Warner-Equity Theatres launched the new Holme Theatre with sound pictures on October 11, 1929 with “On With the Show” supported by “Look Out Below.” The theatre was named after Thomas Holme and was in the Holemsburg neighborhood of Philly. The Holme closed after the January 8, 1942 showing of “Hold That Ghost” for a major $100,000 refresh. On March 17, 1942, it was relaunched as the Penypak Theatre with Kay Kyser in “The Playmates.”
The Penypak scuffled in the 1950s along with many neighborhood movie houses. In 1950, the independent operator, Melvin Fox, sued the eight major Hollywood distributors citing a cartel that didn’t allow it access to key first run films. That and similar suits at that time around the country led to the Paramount decree that would break up the cartel. The Penypak Theatre initially closed at the expiry of a leasing period on September 27, 1951 with “The Great Caruso.” The former Penypak became the short-lived Herby’s Auction House. A boy got his hand stuck in the Penypak popcorn machine during an auction requiring rescue by the fire department. The auction house closed early in 1954 with the building offered for sale.
The Penypak re-emerged on a grind policy by Mr. Fox on May 8, 1955 with “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and “Desiree.” The venue had a new 40' screen and widescreen projection to present CinemaScope titles. But the Penypak’s audience loss was not stemmed and it soon cased operations on October 30, 1955 with Anne Appleton in the exploitation film, “The Desperate Women,” supported by Richard Coogan in “Girl on the Run” ending the venue’s cinematic journey.
After being offered for sale without a buyer, the theatre was auctioned off on July 12, 1956 for $70,000. It resumed auction services for a short period. In 1959, it was a showplace with live plays by the Pinypak players. That only lasted three months closing just prior the theater’s 30th Anniversary. The building was again sold in 1962 for $52,500 to a furniture retailer beginning a long retail career.
My friend Jay Schwartz visited May 27, 2025, the retail store but could see no traces of the original beautiful Art Deco interior.
the Boston Market here is closed, back to a Pizza Hut.