Times Cinema

A sad day indeed. “Times and Rosebud theaters to permanently close” article links: http://www.avclub.com/milwaukee/articles/times-and-rosebud-theaters-to-permanently-close-th,69667/ http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/owner-says-rosebud-times-theaters-to-close-1149dpb-139828233.html http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2012/02/21/time-and-rosebud-cinemas-to-close.html

The land was purchased in 2007 at the height of the ‘real’ estate bubble, and now there is now way the bank will help them recover. I have been to both many times. :(

Former owner Jay Hollis has been hired to manage and keep the TIMES and ROSEBUD open while a search convenes for a new owner. AnchorBank of Madison had foreclosed on the mortgages, but the bank said today that the theaters will remain open. Hollis, a former painting contractor, created the Rosebud in 1999 after redoing the former Tosa Theater, and sold it in 2007. After owner David Glazer said the two theaters would close during the first week of March 2012, AnchorBank spokesman Timothy Carter said Hollis was hired by Siegel-Gallagher, the court-appointed receiver of the properties, to begin operating the theaters beginning March 1 throughout receivership while a new owner is found. Byron Butler, the senior vice president of marketing at AnchorBank, called Hollis “the original visionary” and said it was appropriate to continue operation with him.

This theater and the Rosebud have been closed; reopening depends on a successful resolution of their financial problems. View link

Current website: http://www.timescinema.com/

Garage Becomes a Gorgeous Movie —– Ansel M. Moore submits an appraisal of a recent conversion project and points out several reasons why the new Times Trans-Lux Theatre is the talk of Milwaukee. / THIS IS news! Here’s a case in reverse. A garage building actually became a moving picture theatre - and it is a modern theatre in every particular. Not so very long ago, it was common practise among owners and builder of moving picture theatres to hedge a bit in their construction plans. Not that all theatre owners are poor sports - decidedly not. This business is pretty much of a sporting event all the way through and the successful theatre owner doesn’t spend much time searching for a sure thing. He’ll take his chance and an even break to win is about all he asks. Nevertheless, there’s still a tendency to hedge in the matter of construction. For instance, many a moving picture theatre has been erected in the past with a predominant idea lurking behind that she don’t go as a picture show, we’ll tear out the seats, level up the floor and make a garage out of her. Significantly, most of those theatres built under the garage complex would not even serve on a good day as nurseries for motor cars although strangely some of them are still trying to kid the public into classing them as places of amusement. The new Times Theatre in Milwaukee is an example of the application of courage and common sense in the conversion of property. One would never associate this delightfully modern place of amusement with what it was before it became a modern moving picture theatre. The amazing structural transformation was brought about by clever redesigning and furnishing and we are informed that the cost thereof was surprisingly within the bounds of reason. Certainly there is no call for in this project on any point; unrespective of expense involved it is a modern theater of which Milwaukee may well be and is in fact quite proud. Times is a Trans-Lux type of theatre, in which rear-of-screen projection is most successfully employed. In description of other mechanical features of the Times, we abstracted a few paragraphs from the opening announcement program sponsored by the management and quoted them here. Not only have we brought the newest and most modern way of projecting pictures to Milwaukee but the management has spared nothing to make the Times Theatre the most modern and up-to-date theatre possible. The most careful consideration has been given the most minute details. The entire designing and construction has been carefully engineered by experts. The air that you will breath in the Times Theatre has been washed before entering the auditorium cleansed of all dust and bacteria. Proper humidity will be added in the winter to prevent dry, sore throats and headaches. Three times the amount of air required by the State Board of Health for each person will be brought into the theatre every minute. The most comfortabile seats obtainable have been installed, the best in carpets and lighting fixtures. The best obtainable in sound has been installed as well as devices for the hard of hearing. Especially do we wish to bring out this one feature. Tell any of your friends who have not attended talking pictures because they were hard of hearing that they can now enjoy talking pictures. The front of the Times is an extraordinary example of good advertising display in which light and lustre play the leading roles. Unrespective of expense involved it is a modern theatre of which Milwaukee may well be and is in fact quite proud. The foyer is sensibly arranged and furnished in a delightful mix. Of particular note is the lighting arrangement, the effect of which is a system of vari-colored lights produced by the main celling fixture. At the left a pleasingly appointed lounge with side-lighted mirrors and makeup tables. Distinctive tubular steel furniture completes the ensemble. The auditorium delightfully decorated and lighted with color changing fixtures of a new and modem type. The new Times Theatre, in Milwaukee, an example of the application of courage and common sense in the conversion of property. One would never associate this delightfully modern place of amusement with what it was before it became a modern moving picture theatre.