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HomeMovie TheatersLa Parisien

La Parisien - Garden City MI

Address: Middlebelt and Ford Road
City: Garden City
State: MI
Zip: 48135
County: Wayne
Open: 1939
Capacity: 500
Owner History: Wayne Amusements
Theater Type: Neighborhood House
Number of visits to this page: 13510
General Information:

Source: Fredrick George Ryan

The La Parisien was built by Walter Shafer somewhere around 1939 and was opened as the Shafer-Garden City. It was the second theater that the Shafer family owned, the other being the Shafer-Wayne. The Shafer-Garden City was remodeled and renamed a short time after the Quo Vadis opened, sometime around 1966.

There was a small hotel next door to the theater and above the current location of Platos Coney Island. There was a bowling alley on Middlebelt, just north of Ford Rd. Orin Jewelers was orginally a bank. The Mazzoni family now owns both Orin Jewelers and the former theater. Interesting fact, the La Pa (as it was know by those that worked there) was one of the first theaters in Detroit to have rocking chair seats.

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Info Updates:
4/8/2011 - glenn
In the fifties and early sixties, the place to go was 'The Shafer' in Garden City. It was located on Ford Road, just east of Middlebelt. It cost 35 cents! You could see two or three movies for that 35 cents too. On Saturdays there were some kids that would spend their entire day in that theatre. So, for fifty cents we had a fun filled outing. 35 cents for the show, and 15 cents to spend on candy, popcorn and pop. In the late fifties when I was eight or nine, I remember seeing the 'House of Wax' with Vincent Price. Those were the days when movies seemed actually scary. Sometime in about the early to mid sixties The Shafer' was converted into 'The Lapriesian. ' That is where I saw the movie 'Gold Finger. ' I was fourteen then. In 1969 a couple of buddies and myself parked over at McDonald's and walked over to the 'Lapriesian' to see 'Bob, Carol, Ted, and Alice. ' Those were the days! Thanks for the memories.
5/23/2010 - Xann Foster
I worked at the La Pa 1982-1983. I was in the ticket sales booth and candy sales but, I wanted to learn all the other jobs. I was most interested in usher because I wanted to change the marquee. We also had a restroom attendant also. We did not pop the popcorn on site but had it brought in form another location. I remember manager Michael Ward fondly. I would like to get in touch with him.
11/18/2003 - Charles Kanelos
Prior to the major renovation and name change, the La Parisien was known as the Schafer-Garden City Theater. The La Parisien was the areas first luxary indoor theater. The concept probably was the brainstorm of the Schafer family who owned many theaters in this area and presenly own the Ford-Wyoming drive in.
8/7/2003 - Joe Miller
There was an indoor theater in Garden City named La Parisien. It closed in the early 1980s and is now an Army Recruitment office. It was located next to Orin Jewlers at the corner of Middlebelt and Ford Road. As a kid I remember it to be one of the "Fancy" theaters...sort of like the old Mai Kai theater. I dont have any pictures, just memories of the place. I just thought Id let you know because I didnt see it listed on your list of Michigan indoor theaters.
 Photos:6
La Parisien - OLD PHOTO
OLD PHOTO
La Parisien - FROM LARRY CAUDILL
FROM LARRY CAUDILL
La Parisien - MARQUEE NOW
MARQUEE NOW
La Parisien - Photo from early 2000's
Photo from early 2000's
La Parisien - FROM SIDE
FROM SIDE
La Parisien - FROM LARRY CAUDILL
FROM LARRY CAUDILL
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