Overview

The Hollywood Theater was constructed in 1925 and has undergone one major reconstruction and many remodelings since then.

According to Cinema Treasures , the most impressive portion of the building at its opening was its lavish Atmospheric style auditorium, seating 700 across Orchestra (main floor) and Balcony levels. It had a courtyard-style interior theme and was complete with twinkling stars in the ceiling. The tagline “where the moon and the stars shine” was used extensively during the theatre’s early years.

The architect was Charles R. Geisler of Pittsburgh, and construction was by H. Justine Brown at a cost of approximately $70,000.

The Hollywood Theater was purchased by Warner Bros. in mid-June 1930 for $200,000. Operations continued until late 1932 when the doors were closed. The theatre reopened in late 1934 having been remodeled.

A further and major remodeling was undertaken in the late 1940s, which included expanding the auditorium and the removal of the theatre’s Atmospheric features in favor of a more modern style.

From the late 1940s until the early 2020s the theatre was owned and operated by a variety of owners.

In 2023, the Hollywood Theater was purchased by Row House Cinemas . At the time of purchase, Row House’s owner, the developer Brian Mendelssohn, noted that the theatre was originally built in the Atmospheric style with a painted ceiling and lights that evoked a European night sky. Mendelssohn stated that the new design would riff on that idea by creating a theatre that looks like the set of the 1927 film “Metropolis .

The theatre is planned to reopen in late September 2025.