Eaton Theatre

Info Updates:

6/3/2018 - Leann Owen

Correction: Rick DeDolph bought the Eaton Theatre in 1987 and twinned it in 1992. *The delay in replacing the upper marque sign was due to the roof needing replaced. The roof is now being replaced this month and then we are working on refurbishing the upper marque and putting back up. It is in bad shape and may take a little time to complete that project, but it will be back up.

6/3/2018 - Leann Owen

The Eaton Theatre has a new website. It is eatontheatre. com.

3/9/2018 - Leann Owen

The Eaton Theatre opened January 7, 1931. “ Whoopee” staring Eddie Cantor was the first movie shown there. Our website is “eatontheatres. info”. It was twinned around 1986 when Rick Dedolph bought it from the Beechler family. It is currently owned by his daughter. I have been the manager for approximately 17 years. I have a copy of the newspaper from opening night hanging in our lobby. I do not recall that it ever closed. I did hear I may have briefly in 1960. This is something I’d have to research more. I don’t know if that was just a possibility that was mentioned in an article or if it happened. It has had many improvements and is still being updated currently. We are now upgraded to digital projectors. :).

2/23/2012 - claudia

I am among the many Charlotte residents who cherish the sense of history here. This theater is a good example of the care taken to preserve the historic buildings of Charlotte. The current owners have continued to make improvements to the equipment while restoring the facilities. I really appreciate the time and care taken by the staff to clean-up after each audience before the next audience enters the auditorium. I do not find spilled popcorn, sticky soft drink cups or candy wrappers left behind by others when I enter the auditorium and I thank the hard working staff for that. I applaud the owners for making the movie theater experience affordable for families. This great little theater is a gem and we are lucky to have this treasure in Historic Charlotte, MI.

8/21/2009 - Garrett Pierce

As a lifelong resident of the area, this has been my home town theater all my life. A number of years ago, a older family had bought it and started to fix it up. Eventually, they made it into a double theater,with the former balcony becoming a small theater of its own, seperate from the main seating area below it. The theater, like most of the really old ones around the state, dates back to the era before motion pictures and it was once the spot of many live plays/stage acts. As with most of those theaters, it''s time went and it began to suffer. Sadly, that is the case today, as whatever owners have it now are letting it go down the tubes. The floors are always sticky with goo, the seats are getting worn out and dirty, the marque is falling apart and the ceiling is cracking in again. It is still open and I go there occasionally but it is really getting pretty bad. It is sad to see it go that way.

12/18/2003 - Box Office Magazine

May 1960 - Dick Beechler is closing the Eaton at Charlotte.

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