Howell Theatre - Howell MI

Address: 315 E Grand River Ave
City: Howell
State: MI
Zip: 48843
County: Livingston
Open: 1927
Capacity: 500
Owner History: Chandler Inc
Theater Type: Small Town Movie Palace
Number of visits to this page: 15174
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

Source: Andy Gray

The Howell Theatre is located at 315 East Grand River Avenue in Howell, Michigan. The theater first opened in 1928 and it's still open today! It appears that my grandfather Albert S. "Al" Johnson remodeled the theater in 1938. His collection of Kodachrome slides documenting the Johnson Construction Company theater jobs include a single image of the Howell taken in June 1948 (see below).

The theater is bracketed by a sandwich shop and a Kroger market to the left, and a bus station to the right. Its exterior is similar to other early Johnson theater projects. The marquee and vertical sign are consistent with a late 1930's style, and the front doors have full glass panes. The blackened area of brickwork on the second story, which at first glance appears to be smoke damage, can also be seen in a photo apparently taken in 1956 on the WaterWinterWonderland.com site, so it's not clear what caused this persistent discoloration.

Info Updates:
2/23/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland
The Howell Theatre has been restored from top to bottom and is one of the most gorgeous theatres we have seen yet. The brand new marquee welcomes you into a totally remodeled and restored interior. 2 Auditoriums with new seating, DTS sound, as well as immaculate rest rooms. An excellent snack bar completes the picture. Special thanks to Sanford Chandler who was kind enough to give us a tour and explain the whole process of getting the Howell restored to its former splendor. Keep up the good work Chandler Inc!!!
1/8/2003 - Web
The Howell Theater was constructed in 1927 as both a movie house and a live entertainment venue. It replaced the smaller Temple Theater (located one block west) that was apparently suitable only for movies. It also provided a stage and orchestra pit suitable for musical and live entertainment that would have been previously held at the Howell Opera House that closed several years earlier. The Theater was built by the Locey family which had developed several other recreational properties in the same block, including a dance hall and gym (now Howell Auto Parts) and a roller rink. As late as New Years 1932 there was still live musical entertainment at the theater along with movies. In 1938 the Howell Theater was extensively renovated by the Schulte Amusement Company of Detroit which had acquired the Theater. The renovations included more spacious seating (which remain) and bathrooms, new projection and sound equipment, acoustical treatment, and a new marquee that complimented the original vertical sign that was retained. Schulte Amusement continued to operate the theater for many years, although by 1944 the theater was being used exclusively as a movie house. In 1956 they again replaced the marquee along with the original entrance and canopy. The original theater sign and 1938 marquee were also removed. The original storefronts were not altered and remain to this day, although some architectural elements may have been covered over. By 1970, the theater had been acquired by The Whisper and Wetsman Company, that ran the Theater as the Howell Theater Corporation. During the 1970s the plaster walls were covered by draperies and the movie screen was moved to the front of the proscenium to accommodate a larger picture. The sound system was also upgraded around this time and it remains. Little additional work was done after this time period, although the dual carbon-arc projection system has been changed to a xenon single projector platter system. In 1998 the theater was placed on the market and closed its doors in December, 1998. The theater was acquired by the City of Howell in June, 1999. Immediately following the purchase, the City Council formed the Howell Theater committee to advise them on the potential renovation and future usage of the theater. The committee did extensive research and learned the intricacies of operating a movie and rental facility. The general consensus of the committee was to guarantee and retain the historical and architectural elements of the Howell Theater and to see it renovated as a modest and plain art deco movie house. As it looked at financing and overseeing the renovation of a theater facility, the committee felt that it would be imperative to find someone or some group with theater management experience along with vision and commitment to oversee the renovations and operations. The committee produced a final report outlining recommendation for redevelopment of the Howell Theater. A complete copy of the report is available for review at the City Managers office located at 611 E. Grand River, 3rd Floor, Howell, Michigan 48843. The Theater committee recommended that the city accept proposals from a private entity (for-profit or non-profit), company, individual, or group of investors to purchase, renovate and operate the Howell Theater with the goal of maintaining the theater as an entertainment venue.
1/8/2003 - Web
A 75-year-old theater in Howell, Mich., opened last month after a two-year restoration. The Howell Theater first opened in 1927. A year after the theater closed in 1998, the city bought the building for $310,000. A private developer, Chandler Corp., bought the Howell for the same price in 1999. Workers repaired the theater’s leaded-glass windows, replaced the seats, and raised a new sign that resembles its original 1927 marquis. The 500-seat theater now shows first-run movies. "The community is thrilled," says Camille Lievense, manager of the city’s downtown development authority. "So few movie houses have such a happy ending."
 Photos:18
Howell Theatre - July 9 2022 Photo
July 9 2022 Photo
Howell Theatre - July 9 2022 Photo
July 9 2022 Photo
Howell Theatre - May 1 2021 Photo
May 1 2021 Photo
Howell Theatre - From American Classic Images
From American Classic Images
Howell Theatre - Old Shot Of Marquee
Old Shot Of Marquee
Howell Theatre - 1931 Photo From Paul Petoskey
1931 Photo From Paul Petoskey
Howell Theatre - Original Marquee
Original Marquee
Howell Theatre - Old Marquee
Old Marquee
Howell Theatre - Dec-08-1954-Pinckney-Dispatch-P-2
Dec-08-1954-Pinckney-Dispatch-P-2
Howell Theatre - Old Marquee Shot
Old Marquee Shot
Howell Theatre - Recent Marquee Shot
Recent Marquee Shot
Howell Theatre - Recent Marquee Shot
Recent Marquee Shot
Howell Theatre - Recent Concession Shot
Recent Concession Shot
Howell Theatre - Original Seats
Original Seats
Howell Theatre - Recent Shot Of Booth
Recent Shot Of Booth
Howell Theatre - Old Night Shot
Old Night Shot
Howell Theatre - Jun 14 1933
Jun 14 1933
Howell Theatre - Old Pic
Old Pic
WaterWinterWonderland.com © 2024 Over 70,982,224 Served