Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
STRAND THEATER
STRAND THEATER. Originally the MAIN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH,
the building at 1198 Main was converted into a theater in 1919.
In the spring of 1953, two models were brought to Dubuque from Des Moines to demonstrate the special Polaroid three-dimensional glasses needed to watch 3-D movies at the Strand beginning the week of April 5th. (1)
In 1961 Nicholas J. YIANNIAS was assistant manager of ASSOCIATED THEATRES which included the ORPHEUM THEATER, GRAND THEATRE, STATE THEATRE and Strand Theater.
Dubinsky Brothers of Chicago took over the ownership in 1976.
In August 1980, fire gutted the building, leading the owners to attempt on several occasions to sell the building. They applied for a demolition permit in 1983. In 1986 the Dubinsky Brothers sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Jon Kreiss of Galena and Mrs. Kreiss' mother, Millie Boge of Dubuque.
In 1987 the new owners planned to convert the building into the Paramount Club, a nightclub complete with live bands playing hit tunes from the 1950s to the 1980s. Financing for the $500,000 project collapsed, and the owners approached ST. LUKE'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH about accepting the property as a gift. The church board voted to turn the land into a parking lot. However, a demolition permit was withheld by the city council for a period of up to ninety days to assess whether the structure had architectural significance or historical importance. Demolition of the building took place during December 1989 and January 1990.
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Source:
1. Day, Mike (editor), The '50s: Vol. 1: 1950-1954, Dubuque: Woodward Communications, 2015, p. 70