Winthrop Theater

johndereszewski on January 1, 2008 at 3:59 pm

I was at the Winthrop’s last day as a movie house. It was a Sunday. As a nine year old who lived a block away from the theater, I had absolutely no clue that the whole place would be closed down the very next day. I think my parents did, which is why they took me and my six year old sister to a very crowded house that day. One of the movies was a horror flick, though I can’t remember the name. It WAS pretty scary.

The Winthrop – which everyone called the Winnie – was named after the park situated across the street. While Winthrop Park’s name had been changed to McGolrick back in 1940, we all called it either Winthrop or the tree park. The new name has only set in recently.

While a Met Food store currently occupies this site, initially an A&P store was located here. It served the community until the early 1990’s. Also, while the supermarket occupies the site, the old movie house was almost totally destroyed during the reconstruction. Thus, nothing really remains of the old Winnie.

At one time, the Winnie was only one of many movie theaters serving Greenpoint. The others that I remember were the first run Meserole and RKO Greenpoint and the second run American, Nassau and Midway. They are all gone and their sites currently occupied by a drug store (Meserole), a womens' and childrens' clothing store (RKO Greenpoint), a catering house (the Nassau) and, most annoyingly, a Srarbucks (The American). Thus “progress” moves on.

AnthonyS1957 on June 7, 2006 at 10:26 am

Warren, can you find the FDYBs in stores still? Where can I get copies? I went to my local Public Libary and they don’t even have them.

Ken Roe on June 7, 2006 at 5:31 am

ken mc;
Film Daily Yearbooks can occassionally be found at specialist 2nd hand bookshops or by searching online used books sites. Average prices for later editions 1940’s-1950’s go for around $60.00. Earlier 1920’s and 1930’s editions go for $80.00 upwards.

The year 1926 edition was the first to list theatres. This continued for many years, but content and detail can vary from year to year. Some give actual street addresses (with numbers), some just the street in larger cities and other editions list just the theatre name and seating capacity.

Ken Roe on June 6, 2006 at 5:31 pm

I have an opening year of 1923 (which could be around Christmas 1922?) if an organ was installed November 1922. A seating capacity of 600 is given in Film Daily Yearbooks;1926 and 1927 editions.

The Winthrop Theatre closed in 1959 to become a supermarket two years later. The building now houses a MET supermarket with the address (corner entrance) at 131 Driggs Avenue.