Wellston Theaters the Vis=ctory Mikado and the Wellston St. Louis, Missouri


Mikado - Victory and Wellston Theaters
 Movies in Wellston, Missouri

The Mikado and The Victory Theaters in Wellston, Missouri
 
The Mikado / Victory Theater was located on the north side of Easton Avenue, just east of Hodiamont Avenue in the Wellston business area. The address was 5951 Easton Avenue (today Dr. Martin Luther King Drive., St. Louis, MO  63133

The O. T. Crawford chain built the Mikado theater in 1911, the architect was F. A. Duggan. The Original Japanese design seated 1608, including the balcony.  The building was completely redesigned in 1939 in a
modern art deco design. Fire regulations, wider seats, and aisles reduced seating capacity to 1103.  The newly modernized Mikado added a permanent marquee projecting over the entrance.    

In December 1941, WWII began.  In many cities a theater named Mikado (a dated term for "Emperor of Japan") would be renamed. The Mikado was renamed the Victory theater in February, 1942.

The Victory closed in the early 60s. The building was then used as a church. The building does not exist today.

 Please send in your memories and pictures of the Mikado/Victory Theater   email

The Wellston Theatre was located on the south side of Easton Avenue, just east of Evergreen Avenue in the Wellston business area. The address was 6226 Easton Avenue (today Dr. Martin Luther King Drive., Wellston, MO  63133

There were two Wellston Theaters.  The first one opened in 1922, it was destroyed by fire in April 1944. Capacity was 950. 

The second Wellston Theatre opened in November 1945. It was designed by Hugo Graf.   Capacity was 1319.  The decline of the neighborhood and the closing of the stores in the loop doomed the theatre and it finally closed in 1978.  The building was eventually demolished for a street extension.

The newer Wellston packed them in show after show. It was a real looker inside and out, with a large balcony and beautiful interior of plush red velvets and gold trim. The front facade was four large columns with a free standing box office located in the middle with a walkway to the main entrance. A terrazzo floor on the outside walkway lead into the same in the lobby. Brightly lit poster cases lined the walkway with tons of neon all along the ceiling and front of the theatre. the main lobby boasted a very large concession stand in the middle of the lobby and four auditorium doors behind it. There was a grand staircase on each side of the lobby leading to the balcony.  

The Wellston Theater outlived the Victory by almost twenty years.

Please send in your memories and pictures of the Wellston Theater   email

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