Wellston Theatre (#2)
6226 Dr Martin Luther King Drive,
St. Louis,
MO
63121
6226 Dr Martin Luther King Drive,
St. Louis,
MO
63121
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Arthur Enterprises Inc., St. Louis Amusement Co.
Styles: Moorish
Nearby Theaters
This was the 2nd theatre to be named Wellston Theatre, the first was located in the Empire Hall in 1908 and went into receivership in 1912 (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures). The Wellston Theatre on Easton Avenue (today Dr Martin Luther King Drive) was opened by the Arthur Enterprises Inc. chain (Fanchon & Marco) on September 13, 1921 with Eileen Percy in “Hicksville to Broadway”. With seating for 950, this was one of the opulent neighborhhood houses. It was a move over house from the Fox Theatre, St. Louis Theatre, Ambassador Theatre and Missouri Theatre. Located in the Wellston Loop which at the time was one of the busiest shopping areas in the USA, a sister theatre the Victory Theatre opened two years later just three blocks to the east at the beginning of the Wellston Loop. The Wellston Theatre packed them in show after show. It was a real looker inside and out, with a large balcony and beautiful interior of plush red velvets and gold trim. The front facade was four large colums with a free standing box office located in the middle with a walkway to the main entrance. A terrazzo floor on the outside walkway lead into the same in the lobby. Brightly lit poster cases lined the walkway with tons of neon all along the ceiling and front of the theatre. the main lobby boasted a very large concession stand in the middle of the lobby and four auditorium doors behind it. There was a grand staircase on each side of the lobby leading to the balcony.
The Wellston Theatre was destroyed by fire on April 4, 1944.
A new Wellston Theatre (#3) was built on the site, opening in November 1945. It has its own page on Cinema Treasures.
Contributed by
Charles Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
In fact, there were two Wellston Theatres.
Original structure opened in 1921, but destroyed by fire in April 1944. Capacity was 950.
Second Wellston Theatre opened in November 1945. This featured stadium seating and was designed by Hugo Graf. One of the theatres operated by St. Louis Amusement. Capacity was 1100.
Theatre ceased operation in October, 1962. Theatre eventually demolished for street extension.
You can see a picture of the Wellston Theatre (along with the nearby Mikado/Victory)at the following site:
View link
The Wellston Theatre was located on the south side of Easton Avenue, just east of Evergreen Avenue in the Wellston business area. The address was 6226 Easton Avenue (today Dr. Martin Luther King Drive., Wellston, MO 63133
There were two Wellston Theaters. The first one opened in 1922, it was destroyed by fire in April 1944. Capacity was 950.
The second Wellston Theatre opened in November 1945. It was designed by Hugo Graf. Capacity was 1319. The decline of the neighborhood and the closing of the stores in the loop doomed the theatre and it finally closed in 1978. The building was eventually demolished for a street extension.
The newer Wellston packed them in show after show. It was a real looker inside and out, with a large balcony and beautiful interior of plush red velvets and gold trim. The front facade was four large columns with a free standing box office located in the middle with a walkway to the main entrance. A terrazzo floor on the outside walkway lead into the same in the lobby. Brightly lit poster cases lined the walkway with tons of neon all along the ceiling and front of the theatre. the main lobby boasted a very large concession stand in the middle of the lobby and four auditorium doors behind it. There was a grand staircase on each side of the lobby leading to the balcony.
The Wellston Theater outlived the Victory by almost twenty years.
As Yogi Berra reputedly said: “Deja vu all over again.”
posted by JAlex on Sep 29, 2009 at 5:16pm
Thanks,smart JAlex
sorry we missed your other posted 450 plus remarks… on this site.
The original Wellston Theater was created in the former Empire Hall in 1908. It went into receivership in 1912. The second Wellston Theater was on the south side of Easton and was a project announced in 1921 at $80,000. Its first ad appeared September 13, 1921 with Eileen Percy in “Hicksville to Broadway.” It converted to sound to remain viable.
Wellston Theater #2 burned totally to the ground on April 4, 1944 in a spectacular blaze. There’s an image in photos of the fire. Despite or, in fact, because of the blaze, the theatre still had two attendees thereafter who found a pathway from the ruins of the Wellston tunneling underground to the safe of the neighboring Commerce Jewelry Store robbing it of $29,000 in jewels, bonds and cash. They were not caught.
Wellston Theater (#3) launched in the exact same spot on Easton and just across the street from the St. Louis County Bus Company terminal on November 7, 1945. Its opening ad is in photos with “Christmas in Connecticut” and “Escape in the Desert.” The Wellston closed permanently on October 25, 1962 with “13 West Street.” It most decidedly wasn’t packing in audiences on weekends or any day. Wellston #3 was demolished and replaced with a new-build 9•0•5 Liquor Store.
The last paragraph above could simply be eliminated as I’m not sure they were referencing the St. Louis' Wellston.