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Source: Cinema Treasures
Opened in 1921 as the Rivoli, the Harbor Theatre was one of the oldest operating movie theaters in America. The theater switched to talkies in 1929 and was renamed Our Theatre in 1931. The theater did not receive its current name until 1965, when the Fonstein family purchased the theater. When the Dhuses family, the current owners of the theater, bought it in 1976, they retained the Harbor name.
In 1977, a fire broke out in the theater and the Harbor was gutted and closed. It reopened two years later and, in 1981, the cinema added an additional screen. The Harbor Theatre closed in June, 2001 after 80 years of showing movies for the Lakeside neighborhood. Citing increased competition from the Plaza 1 & 2, a second run theater in nearby Norton Shores, the old movie house had been leaking money for months before closing. At the time of its closing, the theater was still charging just $1.50 for admission.
The Dhuse family has put the theater up for sale, but has not entertained any serious offers because they have been too low in price. The family hopes the Harbor will continue to show movies even after the sale.