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History of theaters in Wayne over the years

The history of theaters in Wayne
begins with the Palace Opera House,
which was a one-story meeting hall
with a raised stage at one end. It was
located about where Bakers Acre is
on Michigan Avenue. Dances, speak-
ers, political rallies, and high school
graduations were held here from
1884-1908. That year it was torn
down and a house built on the site. storefronts in 1985 attempts were
The next theater was called the made to save and restore the theater
Alseium and was on Michigan Av- auditorium, but after 25 years of try-
enue where Mean Ink Tattoo used to ing the building was torn down in
be. 2008.
That storefront had a screen and The State theater was built in
moveable chairs inside and showed 1946 as a single 1,500 seat theater
silent movies from 1913-1927. It with a raised stage at the front. By
later became the Wayne Dress Shop. the late 70s the theater was strug-
Next, The Wayne Theater opened gling and was split into two screens.
in August 1927 along Michigan Av- A brief stint as a live music venue
enue and was a purpose built movie failed and the theater was closed and
theater and live vaudeville venue. abandoned until the city bought it
The building had an orchestra pit, and restored it in 1990, splitting it
dressing rooms, a balcony and seat- into four screens.
ing for 850 people. It remained in The Wayne Drive-in opened in
use as a theater until around 1951, 1949 at Michigan Avenue and Maple
when it was taken over by Wayne Street, it had one screen and a 1,500 Shafer Wayne Theater
Music and became practice rooms. car capacity. In 1971 it was split into 1985. The drive-in remained very expand eventually meant the land
After a fire destroyed the lobby and two screens, and four screens by popular but pressure from Ford to was sold in 1990 and demolished.

14 · April 2023 · The Wayne Dispatch