Strand Theatre

2 E. Washington Avenue,
Athens, TN 37303

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 19, 2022 at 9:14 pm

The historical marker at the Strand Theatre says that it occupies the site of the Foree Hotel, which burned in 1925. Manning & Wink bought the site that year, so the Strand Theater the chain had been operating in 1916 must have been at a different location. The new Strand probably opened in 1926, as it makes its first appearance in the FDY in the 1927 edition.

tntim
tntim on October 18, 2022 at 4:36 pm

I posted a current photo of the side of the building in the photo section. it looks like it may have had a stage with a fly loft.

Patsy
Patsy on September 9, 2012 at 7:29 pm

Just learned about this former theatre in Etowah. It’s a shame it still doesn’t exit. The b/w 1948 photo of its marquee and crowd of movie goers is a wonderful tribute photo to this theatre. Thanks Joe!

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 18, 2012 at 11:31 am

Here is a 1948 photo of the Strand.

The September 9, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World had an item about a Strand Theatre in Athens, but I’m not sure it was the same house:

“The old Palace theater has been remodeled, and is now known as the Strand. This house runs Metro pictures, and is owned by Manning & Wink, who operate several houses in Georgia and Tennessee.”
The Strand building in the various photos looks a bit too modern to have been operating in 1916, though it might have been remodeled again later, of course.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 3, 2009 at 12:46 am

I’ve found the Strand mentioned in Boxoffice Magazine as early as the July 6, 1940, issue. At that time it was being operated by the Manning & Wink circuit.

The most recent Boxoffice mention of the Strand I’ve found is in the January 31, 1972, issue, at which time it was still being operated by Martin.