Florida Theatre
2036 14th Avenue,
Vero Beach,
FL
32960
2036 14th Avenue,
Vero Beach,
FL
32960
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Chris McGuire Cinemas, Kent Theatres Inc., Talgar Theatre Company
Architects: F.H. Trimble
Functions: Office Space, Retail, Storage
Styles: Mediterranean Revival
Previous Names: Vero Theatre, Theatre Plaza
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the 800-seat Vero Theatre on October 20, 1924 with Lon Chaney in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. The theatre currently seats 312. The architect was F.H. Trimble. It is a two story flat roofed building with parapet and walls finished in white stucco. Following a remodel it reopened as the Florida Theatre on November 13, 1936.
This was the second movie theatre to grace the streets of Vero Beach. It is also one of the few remaining buildings left in the original downtown. By 1953 the Florida Theatre was operated by the Talgar Theatre Company chain. By 1968 it was operated by Kent Theatres Inc. It was closed on June 18, 1985 with Madonna in “Desperately Seeking Susan.
It became a furniture store. On October 26, 1991 it reopened as Theatre Plaza a live performance and event center. It was added to the National Historic Register in 1992. By 2023 the building had been gutted and was used for storage. Other parts of the building contain retail use and office space.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
This theater is National site listed as the Florida,and most know as such.
The Theatre has not been open to the public since 1985 and is in a gutted state waiting to be reborn. We have an investor group that has raised about half the money. Equity investment for profit project. Theatre also has retail shops and apartments above the theatre that were renovated several years ago. So if you want to own a piece of this historic theatre- contact us. http://www.thetheatreplaza.com
Reopened as Florida on November 13th, 1936. ad posed.
This should be marked “Closed”. The auditorium has been gutted and is currently used for storage. The remainder of the building has been converted into retail and office spaces.
This actually opened as the Vero Theatre, and was renamed the Florida Theatre on November 13, 1936. The Florida Theatre name would remain for decades until the very end of its motion picture operation.
The Florida Theatre closed as a movie theater on June 18, 1985 with Madonna’s “Desperately Seeking Susan”, and Kent Theatres was its last operator, who operated the Florida Theatre for 25 years in total since June 1960 after being part of the Talgar Theatre Company since May 1948. It would eventually become a Brackett’s Furniture Store owned by Bob Brackett for a brief time.
After an extensive two-year restoration project following its 1989 closure of the furniture store, the Florida Theatre’s original marquee was restored and the theater reopened as the Theatre Plaza on October 26, 1991 as a special events house featuring live performances and performing arts. This lasted until 2008 when the theater building itself was taken over by local boards.