Alpha Fine Arts Theatre

Text of paywalled article from Cincinnati Business Courier, March 28, 2025:

Northside’s community development corporation has acquired a prominent building in the heart of its business district with the help of a city grant that came through at warp speed to match the urgency of the purchase. Northsiders Engaged in Sustainable Transformation, or NEST, closed March 13 on the purchase of the Park Theatre building at 4157 Hamilton Ave. The 8,193-square-foot building was constructed in 1887. It has been the home of Tri-State Appliances since 2000, when owner Mark Lawson acquired the building. His recent retirement occasioned its sale. NEST learned of Lawson’s desire to sell the building last December. Rumors swirled about other interested parties whom NEST feared would create nuisance businesses or present other challenges for the business district, according to Rachel Hastings, NEST’s executive director. The nonprofit put a purchase contract on the building almost immediately. The next month, it applied for a $400,000 grant from the city of Cincinnati’s Quick Strike Acquisition and Project Support Fund, days after the Jan. 17 opening of the grant round. It learned of the award in the following weeks. Homebase Cincinnati, which administers the Quick Strike program, awarded NEST the $400,000 grant it asked for, which fully funded the purchase. NEST acquired the building through 5147 Hamilton LLC. “The entire process was less than two months, which is like rocket speed for getting city funding,” Hastings told the Business Courier. That’s the goal of the Quick Strike program, the brainchild of Cincinnati City Council member Seth Walsh. The program helps nonprofit community development corporations secure critical sites in Cincinnati neighborhoods to support future development. Last year’s awardees included the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corp.’s acquisition of College Hill Plaza and the Mount Washington Community Development Corp.’s purchase of land for an affordable hosing project. “Sometimes you have these amazing, brief opportunities in your neighborhood to buy something, but you don’t have two years to do fundraising,” Hastings said. “The whole goal of Quick Strike is to make funds available to do those kind of emergency acquisitions. I think it really worked as envisioned here. It’s a great tool for communities.” The Park Theatre, later known as the Alpha Theatre, opened in 1913. At one point, whether before or after, it was a vaudeville showcase. Then it transitioned into an adult films theater, and continued as such through the 1960s, according to a post on Cinema Treasures. The Grote family acquired the building in 1980 and turned it into a bakery, leveling the theater’s floors, putting in a drop ceiling and covering the original tile with plywood. In its current state, the building needs leak repairs, tuck pointing, new paint and graffiti remediation. That’s NEST’s first priority. Simultaneously, the nonprofit will hold engagement sessions with the neighborhood to see about future uses – likely retail and perhaps a shared community space, according to Hastings. “We think this building can really activate the Hamilton Avenue business district in a more positive way than it has in the past,” she said.

Thank you soooo much for all the memories of the Alpha. I was just reminiscing with some friends about it, and we couldn’t remember the name of the theater. I googled it and voila! I saw Charlotte there, but don’t remember that it closed right after. Wow! What a flash from the past! Thanks everyone – but especially THolloway!

I uploaded a couple of photos of the Alpha when the marquee was still in place and intact. The photo showing Charlotte on the marquee was for the Cincinnati premiere of the film and not the run before we closed and Parallax had their brief shot with the theatre.

Thanks for checking in, Tim. I worked with Andre when I was at the Mt. Adams Cinema and he was with Parallax (right before he moved to L.A.) and am sorry to hear he passed away. He was the best projectionist I ever worked with. And, hey, the first time I went to the Alpha under your ownership was to see SCHLOCK! (Tina was working that night…)

Thanks to everyone for your memories of the Alpha/Park Theatre! Also thanks for the pictures of the exterior of the building. I have none from that era. It was indeed first called the Park Theatre, followed by, I believe, the Alpha Six Cinema, the Alpha Cinema (during the Adult film days, including Deep Throat) and finally, The Alpha Fine Arts Theatre. The Theatre’s Fans just called it The Alpha. As I understand, the Park did small stage shows and showed Silent Movies when it first opened in 1913. The remnants of pipe organ bellows were still under the small stage. We (Carrlyn and myself along with Rob Duggan) took over the lease when the California based company that showed Deep Throat told us to lock the doors and walk away, having lost the obsenity case filed against them by the City Fathers. We were only employees prior to that time and decided to try and make a go of it under the name Alpha Fine Arts Theatre. And yes, the staff dressed as Doctors and Nurses during the run of Deep Throat. For several years we put our hearts and souls into showing what we felt to be quality film entertainment. It was a blast and a time of my life I will never forget! Eventually, we were forced to close the doors and give up our dream. We could no longer compete with chain theatres that sought to show some of the same films, as we never had the money that the Big Boys had at their disposal; Just alot of guts and determination. I ocassionally drive through Northside and experience a supreme sense of sadness to see the Alpha in it’s current incarnation. I guess we should be grateful the building has not been raised as so many others have been. I still have dreams about the Alpha and of all those who worked so hard with us to make the Alpha what it was. I dedicate this to my friend Andre' LeClaire (former Projectionist at the Alpha), who recently passed away. I will always remember us dressed in Gorilla costumes to promote the film SCHLOCK, and riding around downtown Cincinnati in a Fiat convertible, handing out fliers and autographed bananas on Fountain Square. Never mind that is was April 4,1974, a day after the Sayler Park F5 tornado hit, and people were not amused by our antics. So long Andre'.

Icouldn’t find the Jolly Roger on CT.

CHUCK 1231, I know how big ATlanta was even in the mid 70’s probably both cities were close in population, But, I have never seen so many Drive ins in one medium size city.Thanks, for the info. My step sister is from Hamilton, Ohio and said growing up THE JOLLY ROGER was the most popular.
She said only one Drive-in remains in Cincinnati area.

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dk7zya

Parallax out of Los Angeles ran the place July – December ‘78 and then gave up on it. They attempted a calendar repertory theater that fell victim to lack of neighborhood support and not-great parking. Its previous incarnation had it run by Tim and Carlinn Holloway, who I think had it when it showed X films (they were busted showing Deep Throat – the staff was dressed in medical outfits I understand) then they had a pretty good life from '74 – '77 doing well with art films such as Cousin Cousine, the Lina Wertmuller films, etc. and they were the first theatre in Cincy to score with King of Hearts. They had some great midnight films in '74-'75 like Trash, Putney Swope, and others. They managed to show Pink Flamingos in the summer of '75 without getting busted but they cut out one scene (not the final scene, thank goodness). Also saw cult stuff like El Topo, 2001, Female Trouble. Good times. They fell on hard times around '77.

The inscription at the top of the building says Park Theater 1913, so that gives you an idea as to the building date.