Located on historic Marietta Square, the iconic building opened its doors on Sept. 24, 1935. Built in the elegant Art Deco style of the time, the opulent red and gold auditorium transports visitors back to the Golden Age of cinema.
The first movie to be shown at the Strand was “Top Hat” starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. The theatre was sold in 1947 to the Martin Theatre Chain. Then, in 1964, the building underwent its first full renovation. The theater was sold to Herbert Goldstein in 1976, but closed its doors to moviegoers soon after. From the early 1980s until 2002, the building served many different purposes, most notably as a live music venue in the late 1990s.
The Strand closed its doors again in 2002 and the building fell into disrepair. It sat vacant and unused, but not unappreciated. Community leaders were determined to restore the building to its former glory and after years of fundraising, the space – now called the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre – hosted its grand opening in 2009. It has once again become the gem of the Marietta square and the go-to venue for concerts, theatre, and, of course, movies.
