Martin Theater
226 7th Avenue,
South Charleston,
WV
25303
226 7th Avenue,
South Charleston,
WV
25303
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Alpine Theater Circuit
Functions: Supermarket
Previous Names: Mound Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Mound Theatre was opened prior to 1926 when it had 125 seats. In 1934 it was listed with 480 seats, reduced to 400 in 1937. In the late-1940’s it was renamed Martin Theatre. It was still in operation in 1955 but had closed by 1956.
Contributed by
David Zornig
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
1953 photo added.
This web page from the office of West Virginia’s Secretary of State says that the Martin Theater Company of South Charleston filed for incorporation on July 31, 1948. It was dissolved by court order on May 13, 1957.
As the company was incorporated in 1948 and the Martin first shows up in the FDY in the 1950 edition, the theater was probably opened in 1949, but not in time to notify the FDY’s publishers before that edition went to press. I don’t know when the yearbook went to press, but if the final date for making changes or additions to the 1949 edition was before the end of 1948, the Martin might even have opened in the latter part of that year.
Building still standing and houses Asian Market today. Link below with current photos.
https://www.maangchi.com/shopping/asian-market-in-south-charleston-west-virginia
I switched out the 1953 photo with one courtesy of the The South Charleston Museum Foundation. It is clearer and wider.
Below is a link to the The South Charleston Museum Foundation’s Facebook page, with a history of the town’s theatres including the Victory and Gem. There are 3 images to scroll through. The photo I already posted, and two pages of copy with the histories. (I don’t think the latter will enlarge enough to be posted here, but I saved them.) The way it reads however is that the “Mound/Martin Theatre” were one in the same. So possibly a previous name for the Martin and not a separate theatre as we had thought. Additionally the foundation mistakenly thinks the Martin Theatre building was torn down, but it was not. And it is indeed the same building as Asian Market as I stated above.
https://www.facebook.com/343777785586/photos/a.10158697746555587.1073741849.343777785586/10158697758745587/?type=3&theater
I added the two history pages and the current street view image to the Photos section. But as expected the two pages are tough to read, unless you download and enlarge them. So the above Facebook link is still better.
Went inside on my latest visit to Charleston. Doesn’t look vey theatrical at all inside, but there is some crown molding near the entrance that looks vaguely “snack bar esque.” Peeked into a back room that seems to have a bit of original flavor (looks old.)