Garden Theatre
393 Grand Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11211
No one has favorited this theater yet
The Brooklyn Theatre Index, published in 2010, identifies this theater and cites an operating life that commenced in 1914 and ended in 1928. It also credits the construction to the architectural firm of Brooks and Rosenberg. This firm has not, to date, been previously associated with any other theaters in Cinema Treasures.
Also, as confirmed with my Hagstrom’s map, the site of the old Garden Theatre rests within the current roadbed of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, which drastically split one of Williamsburg’s most historic streets in two during the 1950’s. The Garden Theatre had, however, been history for many years before that indignity occurred.
Incidentally, this now constitutes the third Brooklyn based Garden Theatre that appears in the Cinema Treasures directory. The others were situated on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint and New Utrecht Avenue in, I believe, Borough Park.
Any additional information regarding this theater and its surrounding community will be greatly appreciated.
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This was a small community theater that probably did not or could not adapt to the sound era. Given its close proximity to the plush Republic Theatre – and even the presense of the somewhat better situated “nabe” Nassau Theatre situated a block or so away – this was hardly an irrational business decision. So, the Garden was probably a distant memory when the entire block was destroyed to make way for Robert Moses' BQE in the 1950’s.
This theater is where what used to be Grand St runs through the BQ Expressway.