Exeter Street Theatre, Movie theater in Back Bay, Boston, United States.
The Exeter Street Theatre was housed in a Romanesque Revival building located at the corner of Exeter and Newbury Streets, with its main screening room situated on the upper floor. The structure featured detailed brick and stone work typical of late 1800s architecture in the Back Bay neighborhood.
The building was originally constructed in 1884 as the First Spiritual Temple before being converted into a cinema in 1914 under architect Clarence Blackall's renovation. The theater ceased operations in 1984 after seven decades of screening films to Boston audiences.
For decades, this venue served as Boston's primary gathering place for people seeking foreign and independent films that mainstream theaters would not show. It became known as a destination where film enthusiasts could discover cinema beyond typical commercial offerings.
The venue was situated at a busy street corner in the Back Bay neighborhood, making it easy to locate and access on foot for visitors exploring the area. The ground-level entrance was straightforward, with interior stairs leading up to the main screening room.
A spiritual group called the Working Union of Progressive Spiritualists held meetings in the lower auditorium until 1974, while films screened simultaneously upstairs. This unusual dual use meant the building served two very different communities under one roof.
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