Michigan Theatre
South Haven, MI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Michigan Theatre is one of those downtown movie houses that's impossible to miss. Its classic marquee still looks every bit as inviting today as it must have when it first lit up Phoenix Street, and it's great to see a theater that's still doing exactly what it was built to do. 12-08

Opening in 1938, the Michigan has entertained generations of moviegoers and has successfully adapted with the times while keeping its vintage character. What began as a single-screen theater is now a triplex showing the latest releases, proving that an old theater can still compete in the modern era.

I always enjoy finding places like this while traveling. Small-town theaters have a way of giving a downtown its own personality, and the Michigan is exactly the kind of place that makes you want to stop, stretch your legs, and catch a movie before getting back on the road.

Michigan Theatre
South Haven, MI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

UPDATE: The Michigan Theatre continues to operate as South Haven's hometown movie theater, screening current films beneath its beautifully preserved marquee. It's another great example of a classic neighborhood theater that's still entertaining audiences after more than 85 years. 07-26

Penn Theatre
Plymouth, MI
Photos courtesy Mark Comstock

This is the Penn Theatre in Plymouth, MI. It is located at 760 Penniman Ave. The theatre opened in 1941 and was designed by Ted Rogvoy. It was called the Penn Theatre because of its location on Penniman Avenue in town. It closed in 2004 and a church group used it for a while. It reopened in 2006. Many thanks to Bob Cutlip for info. 12-08

The Penn Theatre is one of those theaters that just feels right at home in a downtown setting. Sitting across from Kellogg Park, its vintage marquee has been welcoming moviegoers since 1941 and remains one of Plymouth's best-known landmarks. It's easy to picture families lining up here on a Friday night long before giant multiplexes became the norm.

Every town seems to have one building that people instantly recognize, and the Penn is certainly one of those places. The marquee, the storefront, and the location right in the heart of downtown all come together to create the kind of scene that makes you want to slow down, take a few pictures, and stay for a movie.

Penn Theatre
Plymouth, MI
Photos courtesy Mark Comstock

It's great to see another classic theater still doing what it was built to do. Places like this help give a downtown its personality, and once they're gone, they're almost impossible to replace.

UPDATE: The Penn Theatre continues to operate as a community-owned single-screen theater, presenting current releases, classic films, and special events while remaining one of downtown Plymouth's most cherished landmarks. 07-26

Apollo Theater
Oberlin, OH
Photo courtesy Bob Cutlip

The Apollo Theatre is one of those downtown movie houses that makes you slow down for a second. The marquee reaches out over the sidewalk, the vintage storefront still looks right at home on the block, and it's easy to imagine generations of moviegoers walking through the front doors to escape into another world. 12-08

UPDATE: The Apollo is shutting down sometime in July 2009 for renovations. The Oberlin College is overseeing the work to ensure that the work will go well. Much of the interior of the theatre is original and the marquee is a great sight to see at night. The Apollo Theater originally opened in 1913 and the Oberlin College took over ownership after the single-screener had been family owned for 85 years. More information can be found at The Morning Journal. Many thanks to Bob Cutlip for info. 07-09

The Apollo has been entertaining Oberlin since 1913, making it one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in northern Ohio. Over the years it has been updated and remodeled, but it has never lost the character that makes old neighborhood theaters so appealing. The black glass storefront and distinctive triangular marquee added in 1950 gave the theater the look it still carries today, and it's one of those signs that seems made for evening drives through town.

Apollo Theater
Oberlin, OH
Photo courtesy Bob Cutlip

One thing I always enjoy about theaters like this is how they become part of everyday life. They're not just places to watch movies, they're landmarks. Ask for directions in town and chances are someone will tell you to turn at the Apollo. Every downtown seems to have that one building everyone recognizes, and this is clearly Oberlin's.

The Apollo has also managed to avoid the fate of so many single-screen theaters. Instead of sitting vacant or being converted into something else, it has continued showing movies for more than a century. Today it serves both the local community and nearby Oberlin College, where film students use the theater as part of their studies. That's a pretty fitting partnership for a theater that's spent its entire life bringing stories to the big screen.

UPDATE: The Apollo Theatre continues to thrive as an active downtown movie house, showing first-run and independent films while also supporting Oberlin College's cinema program. More than a century after opening, its glowing marquee remains one of the signature sights in downtown Oberlin. 07-26