West and Alhambra Theaters Posts

West Duluth theater project moves forward, seeks city loan

Jan 29, 2023 4 Comments

The Alhambra Theater sits just to the east of the West Theatre on Central Avenue in West Duluth (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)

A long-lost vaudeville theater renovation gained ground this week when city officials authorized grant money to fund a business loan for the West Duluth entertainment district project.

The Duluth Economic Development Authority approved a $150,000 grant Jan. 25 to the city of Duluth 1200 Fund for restoration work at the Alhambra Theater, 321 N. Central Ave. The move allows the 1200 Fund to loan building owner Paladin Properties LLC a total of $200,000 for project completion.

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News and Current Affairs ,

Bob Boone and Leif Enger on CBS This Morning: Saturday

Oct 10, 2019 2 Comments

According to the West Theater Facebook page and a post on the neighborhood social networking website Nextdoor, CBS This Morning: Saturday shot a segment at the West Theater in Duluth that will air Oct. 12 during the 6 to 8 a.m. broadcast.

Apparently the show’s host, Jeff Glor, interviews West Theater owner Bob Boone and best-selling author Leif Enger. The Nextdoor post notes the West Theater will open at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday for a free screening of the broadcast. The West Theater Facebook page lists 8 a.m. as the time of the screening.


News and Current Affairs ,

Movies at West Theater

Jul 17, 2019 2 Comments

I wanted to see the new Spider-Man movie, and five dollar night at the Marcus downtown is always tempting … but wait. The West Theater is showing Spider-Man?

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Events

West Theater struggles through restoration, opens June 21

Jun 20, 2019 1 Comment

Work on the West Theater marquee continued on June 19, two days ahead of a grand opening event.

The West Theater looked nothing like its movie palace glory days when Duluth Reader publisher Bob Boone bought the building in 2016.

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News and Current Affairs ,

West Theater renovation adds second theater property

Sep 13, 2018 No Comments

Duluth Reader publisher and West Theater owner Robert Boone has purchased 321 N. Central Ave., next to his West Theater renovation project. The building, constructed in 1913, is the former Alhambra Theater and most recently housed Interior Tomato, a hydroponic gardening store.

An alternative weekly newspaper publisher currently renovating a West Duluth movie theater has purchased a second historic but mostly forgotten theater adjacent to his current project.

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News and Current Affairs ,

Movies could soon return to West Duluth

Mar 04, 2018 No Comments

This graphic from Meyer Group Architecture shows the vision for restoring the West Theater. Image via Robert Boone.

Movies could be returning to West Duluth for the first time in 40 years. Restoration of the former West Theater at 319 Central Ave. is poised to commence according to building owner Robert Boone.

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News and Current Affairs ,

West Duluth’s Alhambra Theater

Aug 22, 2017 1 Comment

West Duluth has three former theater buildings — the West, Doric and Alhambra. Of the three, the Alhambra is by far the least known.

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History ,

Reader publisher buys former West Theater

Oct 27, 2016 3 Comments

west-theater-duluth-2016

A repurposed West Duluth movie theater has been sold to the publisher of an alternative weekly newspaper. The historic West Theater building at 317-319 N. Central Avenue was purchased earlier this month by Duluth Reader founder and publisher Robert Boone, operating as Paladin Properties LLC. The building was previously owned by David Orman, whose now-defunct promotional products business Raven & Associates headquartered there from 2012 to 2014.

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