Liberty Theater
5591 Liberty Avenue,
Vermilion,
OH
44089
5591 Liberty Avenue,
Vermilion,
OH
44089
3 people
favorited this theater
It is located in downtown Vermilion, Ohio. The building dates to 1870 when it was a dry good store. It became a theater around the 1930’s and was closed in 1982. A few years ago it was purchased, gutted, and turned into a retail coffee/decorating/antique shop.
My wife and I purchased it in May of 2002 and opened it in November of 2002. We used the lobby and 60 feet for retail (music boxes, radios, record players, organs, clocks, windmills, sales and service). The remaining (rear) 50 feet contain the stage and balance of the auditorium. Our plans were to restore the building (50' area and stage first) and return to showing movies. We purchased a Wurlitzer Horseshoe Theater Organ Console and planned to eventually install it with the pipe chamber above stage right. We also hoped to install a temporary screen in the showroom area in order to do some screenings. Unfortunately these plans never came to fruition.
Contributed by
Earl W. Haug
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
I havent been up there in years. I used to go there in the 70’s sometimes to catch up on movies I missed on first run. It was a nice little theater. The trains werent too bothersome.
Since I’m in California it’s hard to keep up on my Ohio childhood haunts. Does anyone have any updated info on how the restoration is progressing on the Liberty. Thanks
It looks like there may be an art gallery in the theater space now:
http://tinyurl.com/6luv7f
http://tinyurl.com/6aekq2
http://www.theartseengallery.com/
The Liberty may have had only 252 seats when first opened, however the building was enlarged by adding to the back end. Not sure what year, but late 40s or early 50s. Seating after that was 507 in a long narrow auditorium. You can clerly see where the extension to the building started by looking at the outside walls.
Since Earl Haug listed this theater in 2002 there has been no restoration work done. I talked to him when I was on vacation in Vermillion in 2005 and he seemed very positive about the project at that time. It would now appear that he has closed up his storefront and different people have taken over. I’m afraid that the planned restoration may have been dropped. Anyone have any updated info?
From 2002 through 2006 we were able to make many improvements/upgrades to the building (electrical, doors, windows, HVAC, brickwork, etc.) but sad to say we were unable to complete the restoration and sold the building to a very nice local gentleman. We moved our retail store (The Music Box) to Olmsted Falls.
1920 shot of the Liberty Theatre at grand opening in photos.
In 1955, the Liberty was the only movie house operating in Vermilion, according to an ad in the June 21 issue of The Lorain Journal. The house was operated by Zegiob Theaters Inc., a local chain also operating the Dreamland and Pearl Theatres in Loraine. The ad noted that, in recent years, the Liberty’s seating capacity had been doubled to 500.
I wonder, does anyone remember watching Sgt Pepper’s movie 1978/79, Flash Gordon 1980? Many kids sat in the aisles because it was so packed on a Friday night, and everyone sang along! Those were great days mixed with much mischief! We were very fortunate to live in such a place at that time and to have a theatre like that in our youth. For the sake of the youth who live there now, I hope it reopens and plays the good movies for their age, even if they’re older movies.
The Liberty Theater Was Originally Closed In 1982 After Its 40+ Years As A First-Run Movie Theater. I Found Some Trailers On EBay Involving This Theater From 1978-1982 During Its Last 4 Years. Unfortunately I Can’t Find Any Snipes Or Anymore Information About It.