STRAND  . MAJESTIC  . LOEW'S STRAND 138 S. Main
 

Opened 1920s  .    Closed 1975 .   Seats 1085 . 

The Strand was just north of Loew's State with maybe a couple of small storefronts between. It wasn't as grand as the other Main Street movie cathedrals--probably a little above the Princess just up the street. There were pillars supporting the balcony which caused some visibility problems. By 1964-65 the Strand had gone to porn, the fate of many downtown theaters across the US in that era. In an attempt to maintain their dignity, or maybe to reduce pressure from the vice squad, they always ran a double feature with some entirely conventional rerun as the main show. So you had to sit through a Robert Mitchum war movie or Doris Day musical before getting to the "good stuff.  "

The porn would probably be considered very mild by most folks nowadays, but was certainly controversial enough in the 60s. Even so, the Strand was constantly in conflict with the vice cops. The newspapers either censored their ads or refused to take them altogether, and I think the theater was raided and closed briefly a few times.  Still the old Strand was popular enough with the sailors from Millington and college students, etc. to turn a profit for a few years.  Before the Strand occupied this building, it housed one of the MAJESTIC Theatres.

 

The Strand is first listed at this address in the 1920 Directory.   The listing changes to LOEW'S STRAND from 1928-1933 and then goes back to STRAND in 1934-1958.  We've not been able to verify later dates.  There was an earlier Strand in 1916-17 at 285 S. Bellvue.
 

Strand 1940

Strand-Majestic

Strand-Porno

Strand-1951

Strand -Loew's State 1957
 

Strand-1959

1925 Ad

Loew's Strand 1928

1941 Ad

1947 Ad

1953 Ad

1964 Ad
 

Auditorium 1922       Strand 1922 Strand Ad 1955 Strand ADULT 1967 Strand ADULT 1968
 
     

Strand ADULT

1920 Ad
 
   

 

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