Pike Theatre

Philadelphia Pike and Myrtle Avenue,
Claymont, DE 19703

Unfavorite 3 people favorited this theater

Showing 6 comments

ebdunn
ebdunn on January 28, 2017 at 9:08 am

The nearby Brookview Apartments weren’t built until 1953-1955, evidently after the theater closed. I don’t know what the highway reconstruction may have been that is given as a reason, other than the road was widened to four lanes (from two), somewhere around that time. I remember the theater building after the widening, the sidewalk in front had been narrowed some, but was still wide then – I don’t know what effect that would have had. I don’t know when it closed – or should I say I don’t remember when it was open, but the building was used for fire school training in the 60’s, by the local fire company, and in one of those training sessions, a small fire built in the upper floors got away from them, and the building was damaged beyond repair, and had to be demolished (which was the intent anyway, after the training sessions). As I remember the building, it was just a square 3 or 4 story, wood lap-siding, I believe, with an iron marquee on the front side. The building was on the NE corner of the intersection, where the Exxon is, today, as TheALAN states.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 15, 2016 at 10:09 am

October 22nd, 1941 grand opening ad in photo section.

TheALAN
TheALAN on January 3, 2014 at 7:02 pm

Does anyone have any photos? Also, who the architect was and in what style, and the dates it opened and closed? Please share. Thanks!

TheALAN
TheALAN on January 3, 2014 at 6:37 pm

An Exxon service station now stands where the Pike Theatre once stood.

offhollywood
offhollywood on April 17, 2011 at 2:22 am

Where exactly at that intersection was it? Darley Inn and the Claymont Stone School are both historic buildings so it wouldn’t have been on those corners. And I think Archmere’s been around awhile. Was it where the Food Lion is now? Although that’s the Darley Road side of Phila Pike, not the Myrtle.

I can’t imagine it lost business as early as 1950. It was right near Brookview Apartments, which was a huge complex in walking distance of the theater.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 1, 2009 at 11:19 am

This was in Boxoffice, June 1950:

Dock Edge has closed his Pike Theatre in Claymont, Del. because of loss of business resulting from reconstruction of Route 13.