Willmar Theater
312 W. 4th Street,
Willmar,
MN
56201
312 W. 4th Street,
Willmar,
MN
56201
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Opened in 1937 as the 1,000 seat New Willmar Theater. Still open in 1950, the Willmar Theater was located in the downtown area between a Woolworth store and a hotel. The outside ticket booth along with the entrance was sheltered by an overhang that had a marquee on each end. "Willmar" was spelled out on a large verticle sign that was taller than the theater building.
A second screen was added on June 3, 1971. The Willmar Theater was still open in 1977.
Contributed by
Billy Holcomb / Don Lewis / Billy Smith
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
From the mid 1950s, a photo postcard view of the Willmar Theater and downtown Willmar.
It was a Associated Amusement Company, with Oscar Woempner and William Frank owners.This in 1956.
The New Willmar Theatre opened in 1937. Seating was listed at 1,000.
The Willmar Theatre was twinned in 1971, but it does not appear to have been a conventional twinning. The June 28 Boxoffice item about it said that “[t]he Willmar will be open nightly with two shows, one in the main theatre and one in the new mini-auditorium.” The Willmar Cinema Twins debuted on June 3.
I’ve been unable to find out when this theater closed, but it was still open in 1977, as it was one of the theaters that hosted the run of the original “Star Wars” that year, opening in this house on August 11. Since at least 2010, and probably earlier, the building has housed offices of Divine House, a privately operated social services agency which now owns the building.