Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Any other ‘Urban Outfitters’ theaters?
posted by
John Coles
on
January 5, 2006 at 7:59 am
The Garden Theatre in Charleston, SC has been “converted” into an Urban Outfitters retail store.
Does anyone know of other theatres that have been reused or converted by Urban Outfitters?
Thanks,
John Coles
Comments (15)
Conversion = bastardized
The lobby of the Plaza Theatre at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City is now a Restoration Hardware (!). Some of the original layout and some of the decorative plasterwork is still evident (though all painted pristine white).
And it appears that the original stagehouse is now a gym …
There is an old theatre on 4th (i believe) in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego that is now an Urban Outfitters. I wonder if they specifically seek out theatres, or if its just a coincidence?
In Seattle Banana Republic converted the Coliseum Theatre into retail. In Pasadena, California the Pasadena Theatre was converted into a Gap store and in NYC the former Time Square Theatre is being converted into retail.
The main floor of the auditorium of the State in Ann Arbor is an Urban Outfitters. The balcony houses two (or possibly three) theatres. The facade and marquee are intact and well maintained.
Jake — I think you’re thinking of the Ghirardelli soda shop on 5th Avenue and G Street. It has a marquee and other elements which suggest it was a theater.
Ross and I drove past it last week — I live around the corner, actually — and we both made a comment about it.
(Urban Outfitters is on the same block, but a few storefronts away.)
cnyarts: The Fine Arts Theatre in Westport, CT is also now a Resoration Hardware.
The Varsity in Evanston, IL is a Gap on one half
I think these retail installations can serve a purpose if they value the old theater venue they take over.
For example, years ago, Bookstar book sellers took over the exquisite Belle Meade suburban theater [circa 1938] in Nashville. They gutted the auditorium, but kept the mirrored ceiling lobby much like it was originally. They also preserved the amazing sign, the marquee, etc. This preserved the facade for more than a decade. A few years ago, Bookstar itself went under, and the theater was again vacant. The present plan is to preserve the facade of the theater and built a grandiose building behind it.
My point is that if a thinking retail outlet had not moved into the space, NONE of the Belle Meade would exist today.
The facade of the Belle Meade is a magnificent example of the suburban theater of the 1930s. At least that much as benn preserved.
The first floor seating of the State Theater in Ann Arbor is an Urban Outfitters. Only the twinned balcony is used for movies.
Now if Urban Outfitters launched its own chain of movie theaters…think about how cool that’d be…
I do hope that someone can post a photo of the Garden Theatre as it looks today with Urban Outfitters in that location.
If you go to www.urbanoutfitters.com you can click on the State of South Carolina and the Garden Theatre location will come up as it is the only Urban Outfitters store listed for SC. I wonder how they reconfigured the interior to accommodate the store’s layout?
And I, too, would be interested to know if this store has “converted” other theatres. Hope the answer is…not many!
The old Varsity Theater in Lawrence, Kansas is now an Urban Outfitters. It seemed random when the conversion was made, but it is obviously some sort of corporate campaign.