Lakewood Theatre

6120 Motor Avenue SW,
Lakewood, WA 98499

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Additional Info

Architects: Silas E. Nelsen

Functions: Retail

Styles: Colonial Revival

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News About This Theater

View from the stage

Located in the Lakewood district to the south of Tacoma, WA. The Lakewood Theatre was opened on July 8, 1937 with Claudette Colbert in “I Met Him in Paris”. It closed as a movie theatre in 1984. While not currently used as a movie theatre, the Lakewood Theatre is still used by the community, especially each Christmas, when the “Nutcracker” is performed on the theatre’s stage.

The theatre became available for lease, but was in a bad condition. In summer of 2023 it became an auto parts store.

Contributed by Ken Layton

Recent comments (view all 34 comments)

KenLayton
KenLayton on May 25, 2019 at 11:32 am

Any updates on this theater?

ScarlettandRhett
ScarlettandRhett on June 14, 2019 at 12:56 pm

Update on the Theatre! The Lakewood Historical Society will be moving into the lobby. As for the actual inside of Theatre I am not sure yet.

ScarlettandRhett
ScarlettandRhett on June 21, 2019 at 4:33 pm

Another update, I tried emailing The Lakewood Historical Society and no reply yet. But I did speak with the head of Lakewood playhouse. He told me a group and himself went in the theatre almost 4 years ago with Lakewood city to see what would have to be done to bring it up to code. It would cost nearly 3.9 million just to renovate it to code. The floor is collapsing and tons of other things falling apart. So sadly there is no hope.

KenLayton
KenLayton on June 21, 2019 at 10:14 pm

Sounds like another case of “demolition by neglect”.

ScarlettandRhett
ScarlettandRhett on June 22, 2019 at 3:10 am

Unfortunately it does. I am keeping high hopes if they are moving the Lakewood Historical Society into the lobby. So at least the building will obtain historical landmark. It’s such a shame that a prefectly good building sat and rotted in plain sight for no good reason. The only hope we have is some magical donor. The biggest fear for the town of Lakewood is a recent discussion of a Civic center with a theater being built right next store to Lakewood AMC.

KenLayton
KenLayton on July 11, 2021 at 1:42 pm

Anything happen with the Lakewood Historical Society and them moving into this theater?

rivest266
rivest266 on July 12, 2021 at 3:28 pm

Closed as a cinema in 1984.

Jake Bottero
Jake Bottero on April 7, 2022 at 8:04 am

Currently rotting into the ground.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on September 22, 2023 at 10:48 am

Current Streetview shows this theatre has been repurposed as an AutoZone car parts store. The cupola with its weather vane is all that remains.

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