Source: Cinema Treasures
The Colonial, which was, like so many other Detroit theaters, a work of C. Howard Crane, was opened in 1917, and originally could seat 1566 in its auditorium. The Colonial had both vaudeville acts and motion pictures on its program in its early days, but soon switched to movies-only. It was first owned, like the huge Hollywood Theatre, by the Cohen Brothers, and its original plans called for a nearly-3000 seat palace, with over 200 box seats. The Colonial was operated by Midwest Theaters from the 50s on, and operated into the mid-70s. Not long after it closed its doors, it was razed.