2. Steinway Theatre, 31-08 Steinway Street
Opened in 1914, the Steinway Theatre was the first to appear on the street that shares its name. While the street was named after the famous piano company, the theater has no relation. Before screening films, the theater showed live vaudeville acts. An advertisement for the opening day told visitors to expect performances of “unexcelled quality.” The theater was renovated in the 1930s after its larger competitors, the Astoria and Triboro theatres, opened. The Steinway was relegated to playing late-run double features. In the 1950s, the theater ceased operation and the building was converted to retail space. Lerner’s Department Store occupied the space for 30 years and many people in the neighborhood knew the building as that, as there were no traces of the theater. Any details on the inside were covered up and the ornate terra cotta and marble embellished facade of the theater was replaced with a plain modern facade.
