Montlake Theater

The Montlake Theatre was listed in both the 1941 & 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as (Closed). It probably never reopened as it has gone from listings in 1950, and was converted into apartments. The store fronts to the south of the theatre later served as a branch of the Seattle public library, but before then, one had served as paint store named ‘The Paint Pot’, and the one on the corner was Jake’s Drug Store, which had a soda fountain.

In its last years, the Montlake Theatre had showed foreign films that attracted university students from UW across the Montlake Cut. It had a Style B 2/4 Wurlitzer, opus 1449 installed in 1926. The organ was later moved to Olympia’s Avalon Theatre. The organ was later owned by several Puget Sound individuals including: Robert Dyer, Kenneth Graves, Alden Baunsgard and Woody Presho. The instrument’s current status is unknown.

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

kencmcintyre on January 7, 2009 at 4:03 pm

I question the 2410 address. Salon Blast next door is at 2306 24th. If you put 2310 in Google maps, it takes you to the correct location.

kencmcintyre on January 7, 2009 at 4:35 pm

So what is the correct address of the theater?

kencmcintyre on January 7, 2009 at 4:42 pm

But not 2410 24th Avenue East, which is further down the road.

kencmcintyre on January 7, 2009 at 4:52 pm

At least that address gets you in the neighborhood when you map it out. I would agree with that.

Joe Vogel on January 20, 2015 at 6:33 pm

This item from the September 13, 1924, issue of Exhibitor’s Trade Review is probably about the Montlake Theatre:

“W. W. Armstrong, is building a house at 24th Avenue and East Lynn Street, Seattle. It is planned to seat 580 people. Construction will begin shortly. George Purvis of Seattle is architect.”

George B. Purvis also designed the Columbia Theatre in Longview and the Mack Theatre in Port Angeles, Washington.

Joe Vogel on January 20, 2015 at 6:47 pm

The address 2410 East Lynn Street is actually the back wall of the theater’s auditorium. The theater’s entrance was through that splendid Gothic arch at 2308 24th Avenue East.