Princess Theatre
23-25 N. Augusta Street,
Staunton,
VA
24401
23-25 N. Augusta Street,
Staunton,
VA
24401
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This theatre appears on the 1909 Sanborn, in an old two story brick building constructed about 1870. The 1904 map shows this space as a grocery. This opened as the Arcadia Theatre on April 29, 1909. It was closed in August 1910 only to reopen as the Savoy Theatre on September 5, 1910. On September 25, 1916 it became the Princess Theatre. It was closed in October 1918.
Competition among early theatres was fierce, as there was one next door to the north, as well as one just across the street.
This theatre outlasted its competitors and in November 1918 it was taken over by the Salvation Army.
The building is well kept. The ground floor was a barber shop using a 21 address that originally belonged to a demolished building to the south, but the most recent Google Streetview shows it has reverted to 23, and is being worked on.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The local paper reports that the Staunton Grocery Company vacated this building at 23-25 North Augusta in 1909 and would be replaced by a new theatre first called the Arcadia followed by its naming as the Savoy and the Princess. The Arcadia launched here April 29, 1909 as a nickelodeon that featured Miss Coffman at the piano accompanying the films and slides.
The Arcadia closed in August of 1910 and was replaced by the Savoy Theater which was luanched by the Beverly Amusement Company (of the local Beverly Theatre, as well) on September 5, 1910. The venue played Biograph and Vitograph films and was a nickelodeon that competed (or didn’t) against the Wonderland and the Lyric .
Then A. Mack Mitt bought the Savoy in 1916 relaunching here as the Princess Theatre on November 25, 1916. Staunton Amusement took on the venue on September 1, 1918 and likely did so to remove competition. They quickly shuttered the Princess Theater here in October of 1918. A month later, the Salvation Army moved into the retrofitted space.
The aforementioned Wonderland opened March 22, 1907 and operated into 1911 before being offered for sale or lease. It was converted in 1911 to a printing operation for McClure Company at 27-29 North Augusta. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.
The Bijou opened September 5, 1907 and the New Lyric Theater (which has its own Cinema Treasure page) opened November 19, 1908 also on North Augusta.
Thanks! We should rewrite the listing so some of your information is up top. Lots of names in a short time for a small theater!
The nickelodeon period is fascinating with owners literally coming and going month to month trying to figure out how to make money in the industry. Others might get sued by Edison and the Motion Picture Patents Company for infringement. And some became successful exhibitors for decades. Wild times.