Merrick Theater
163-06 Jamaica Avenue,
Jamaica,
NY
11432
163-06 Jamaica Avenue,
Jamaica,
NY
11432
9 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theaters, Skouras Theatres
Architects: Drew Eberson, John Adolph Emil Eberson, R. Thomas Short
Styles: Adam, Streamline Moderne
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News About This Theater
The Merrick Theater opened in 1920, at 163rd Street and Jamaica Avenue in the Jamaica section of Queens. A recent drive-by indicates that the façade of the former Merrick Theater appears to be well intact.
With a 2,500 seating capacity, the Merrick Theater would have historically been the third largest theater in the neighborhood, after the Loew’s Valencia Theatre and Loew’s Hillside Theatre.
Contributed by
SteveSmith
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Recent comments (view all 42 comments)
Tinseltoes… I know this is a pet peeve of yours (and it bugs me, too) but I think the address ribbon to which you refer is a function of how the database is organized. Not that I have a lot of experience at developing and mapping out websites, but I do believe that it isn’t a matter of fixing the ribbon as it is of getting the database organized into more logical geographic buckets. In other words, it is likely not going to be a quick and easy fix.
There is indeed a gym, Blink Fitness, occupying the theater.
Uploaded current Jamaica Avenue photo showing Merrick as retail space.
Uploaded 1930 ad showing under the management of Century Theaters. In later years under the Skouras banner but returned to Century at the end of its days.
Although the heading for the Merrick places it as third in size of the Jamaica theaters, at the time of it’s opening it was advertised as Jamaica’s largest playhouse.
I assume the interior was completely destroyed?
From the street view, I can see through windows cut into the side of the auditorium showing track lighting along a flat white ceiling. Whether they gutted the auditorium or simply put in a drop ceiling I cannot tell.
The inside was gutted. Not sure if it happened before the gym, but it’s gone now.
Way before Blink Fitness 1979 the second floor had roller skating called Jamaica roller dome. I remember going there and chating with the manager and the DJ. The place had a GLI sound system and LiteLab lighting system. The ceiling of the rink was a drop ceiling. They offered me to see the DJ booth but to get to it I walked through a door and climbed up an old dark staircase along side rubbish which I knew was part of the top balcony. At that point I could look across and see the original ceiling to the theater with wires holding up the drop ceiling. It looked so beautiful though some spots had water damage, it felt like being in a time capsule.Then walked down the other side steps to a door that led to the DJ booth.
Spaces are repurposed but original ceilings are usually there albeit hidden.