East Detroit Theatre

Info Updates:

3/18/2016 - Rob Jay B

Victoria - nice write up. I recall when the Roma Hall site was the Chesterfield Arena - burned in 1956 and it had Friday night wrestling, bingo on Sundays and parties, weddings etc. Plum Pit is still going on nearby = no more E & A drugstore, however. Go Shamrocks. RJB.

2/7/2016 - Victoria

I remember my mom took me to this theater to see some kiddie movie before it became an adult theater, and she complained about all the litter on the floor. I was at East Detroit High 1977-80, and it was the Capri porn theater in those days, along with Stage Adult Movies in an old pizzeria building, north of Nine Mile. A poster said that the Stage used to be on the site of Olive Garden on Gratiot, just south of 10 Mile. No, Roma Hall used to be on that site, as I remember going there multiple times for Girl Scout banquets. The Stage building as of 2016 still stands. After the porn years it was a takeout restaurant, car rental and insurance office.

6/21/2015 - Robert Taylor

Tom Lasota, I remember you from Deerfield Elementary School (Mrs ONeil) I still have the 6th grad class. We moved to Kentucky about 1960 and have been back a few times but not since 1994. Hope all is well with you.

1/1/2015 - Joan

During my high school years in the early sixties I worked at the East Detroit Theater. The manager had two sons that also worked with me. They were all so nice to work with. I can still smell the popcorn.

7/22/2013 - Dana Jackson

I spent more time at the Eastwood Theatre but, when a better movie choice was at the East Detroit, my parents would take me there. When I was about 4-5 years old I can remember dancing in the aisle during an old George Gobel musical. When the East Detroit theatre became the Capri, church groups picketed to protest the adult movies shown there. In a 2011 post, someone named Tom Lasota said he would like to talk to someone about downtown East Detroit. if you ever come back to the East Detroit Theatre site, I'm your gal.

8/7/2011 - Scott Schroeder

I remember the old theater very well also. When it was the Capri as pictured below the front had been completely redone. The old front was quite different and it would be great if someone had a picture of that. Tom, I remember all those businesses as well. I grew up just down from the high school and spent a lot of time on that block of Gratiot. My parents had a gift shop in the old shoe store (VanHoeks) in the seventies through the early eighties. My grandfather was postmaster of East Detroit when the post office was built. I don't know where they are, but my dad took a lot of pictures when they were tearing down that block to make way for the mall, including the old theater coming down. l. I hope I run across them if I do I will post it.

2/13/2011 - Tom Lasota

Spent much of my allowance at the EastDetroit Theater. I still live in East Detroit/ East Pointe and have many fond memories of the businesses on Gratiot, from the Allied Bicycle shop on the North east corner of 9 & Gratiot to, Cunninghams, Rexalls, Neisners, the jewelery shop and shoe store and music shop to both grocery stores A&P and Wrigleys. Dammon hardware, Alexander Horning butcher, the uniform store, the barbor at the side of Rexalls. Eds Radio and Tv shop, the sporting goods store. Having a head rush of memories. I'd love to talk with anyone who can remember my hometown- downtown!.

10/30/2009 - Dave Dudek Sr

In the 50''s some may remember the Globe Surplus, A&P, Kalthoff''s hardware just to name a few that existed. Also the median at Nine Mile and Gratiot was a parking lot as on Fridays the area was very busy!

10/23/2009 - Dave

I remember the Capri very clearly as I attended East Detroit schools from 1982 til graduation. I remember it as the adult theater. For a time there was a real dive Coney Island next door. Think it was called Max''s Coney. All the high schooler burn out kids would be there at lunch time. Fun times!

10/21/2007 - Unknown

I lived in East Detroit from 1949 to 1963. The East Detroit Theater was next to the Neisner''s 5 & 10 cent store, "the dime store". There was also a dark red brick Borden''s Dairy building nearby. There, I saw The Ten Commandments for an admission price of ten cents.

The Olive Garden restaurant occupies the site of the old Stage Theater.

6/4/2007 - Neil Hammack

My family moved to 9 mi. & Schoenherr in 1939. I remember as a 5 or 6 yr. old attending this theater thru the 1940s. Used to go the Sat. matinée almost every week. Mom or Dad left me off and came back to get me that is until I was old enough to take the 9 mi. bus. Also remember a little candy store next door where you could buy the latest comics. Capt. Marvel, Superman, ect My wife Diane also attended the theater but being 10 yrs. younger, she went in late 40s. We also attended the Eastwood theater. In `942 my uncle worked as a projectionist evenings at both theaters. He did this until early 1943 when he was drafted. This was a clean and safe theater.

6/9/2005 - Charles W. Finley

The theater that Michael Ries refers to was the Stage Adult theater, located on Gratiot North of 9 Mile. Both adult theaters were closed by 1986.

6/6/2005 - Bob Adams

Please note the first entry by Charles Finley was correct. The "Capri" has not been around for almost 20 years - it was across the street from the East Detroit post office and next to a Navy recruiting station, Neisners 5 and 10, Cunninghams Drugstore, and Allied Cycle (moved north on Gratiot across from St. Peters church). These were all demolished as stated before. Im not sure what Mike is referring to.

6/6/2005 - Michael Ries

The Capri just closed as a hot wings restraunt......The building is now being turned into a Hertz car rental...and I do believe it also might be used for used rental car sales.

12/18/2003 - Box Office Magazine

June 1959 - The East Detroit and the Roseville theatres are being taken over by Robert L. Vickery interests, with John Himmelein as booker. These were formerly A&W-Sterling Theatres.

3/11/2003 - Charles W. Finley

The East Detroit Theater (aka Capri) was tore down in 1987 to make was for Eastbrook Commons. Today, Gamestop and Starbucks Coffee stands where the East Detroit Theather stood.

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