Victory Theatre

The aptly named "Victory" opened in 1919 right as WW1 ended. It was designed as a movie theater from the start, and ran for 60 years, closing in 1979. Since then the politics of reopening the Victory has become the show in itself.

Postcard picture courtesy of Laurel O'Donnell

The Victory was Holyoke's only Grand Theater with a seating capacity of 1600. Now, total cost of restoration is estimated at $10 million.


For $1 dollar a year the City leases the building to MIFA, Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts, under their Victory Theatre Inc holding company. President of the organization, Donald Sanders, predicts "the theater's eventual renovation will spark an economic ripple effect downtown".


So just what is the vision for the reopening of the Victory? Is it the same one they had back in the early 80's when I was a kid? 29 years is an awful long time to come up with a plan.

List of lost Holyoke Theaters.

Bijou Theatre
318 Main St
demolished

Globe Theatre
26 Suffolk
demolished

Majestic Theatre
207 Main St
demolished

Royal Theatre
101 High St
demolished

State Theatre
461 Dwight
AKA: Holyoke
demolished

Strand Theatre
267 Maple St
demolished

Suffolk Theatre
11 Suffolk St
demolished