GC2RCFM PoP - Motor City Theatre & Skating Rink (Traditional Cache) in Michigan, United States created by RayQix

GC2RCFM ▼

A cache by RayQix Message this owner

Hidden : 4/2/2011

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Geocache Description:

**Congratulations to csguru on the SPEEDY
(9 minutes from Published-to-First-Found) FTF!!**

The PoP-Series are caches dedicated to people, places, things, etc. that i've either been part of, or visited, Past-or-Present.

Vandale Theater: 1931-1938
Motor City Theater: 1939-1961
(Seating Capacity 400)

Motor City Skating Rink: 1961-1986
(House Capacity of the Roller Rink posted as 1100-1480 Persons)

1982 view of the skating rink

Motor City Skating Rink was the Hangout for many folks, young and old alike, and it went through several evolutionary changes over the years that it was here.

Motor City Theater Advertisement from the 1958 Detroit Free Press
Featuring 'Teacher's Pet' with Clark Gable and Doris Day
'Cowboy' with Glen Ford
'Love Slaves of the Amazons' with Grant Williams

It was first built in 1933-4 as a Movie Theatre called the Vandale Theatre. It was later extensively remodeled in 1938 with an Automotive Industrial theme with murals of Auto Works painted on canvas and hung on the walls.

The murals that once had adorned the Motor City, prior to 1971 repainting.

The Theatre re-opened in 1939 as the Motor City Theater with a new Neon Sign and Marquee on the front of it. It was managed by the Schulte Amusement Co., which managed the largest independent chain of small indoor theaters in Michigan. Two of the other locations they owned were the Ryan Theater (at 9 mile & Ryan) and the Liberty Theater in Center Line.

1964 view along Van Dyke with the original neon letters in the sign

The building was sold around 1960 to Shaw D. Hakim who owned the Fairview Gardens Roller Rink in Detroit. He converted the Motor City Theater into the Motor City Roller Skating Rink, later taken over and managed by his son Edward Hakim.

Looking towards the north end of the rink. 1980's

Eddie also added a popular rock concert venue to the Skating Rink activities. Big-name acts like Iggy Pop, The Ramones, and the Clash played here.

The Neon sign that welcomed Patrons (north end)

In the 1980's, they even opened a Teen Night Club that was open on Friday and Saturday nights and had it's Main Entrance in the Back of the building, and it was called "The Back Door". It was popular with most of the local teens.

The "Main Entrance" to the Back Door Teen Night Club

The rink would close in the Spring of 1986, and an auction would be held for the entire contents of the building.

Auction was held on June 28th 1986

The property was eventually sold and the building was demolished in July of 1986 to make way for the Shopping Center that sits at this site now in the hopes that it would spark the interest of other developers in the area business district.

Places such as the Motor City Skating Rink were unusual and unique. I spent a lot of time here and remember many days and nights skating and hanging-out with many of my friends. These were good-times that unfortunately will never be seen again in the same way...but many of us have memories which will last forever. Now, we have memories, photos, and stories. Those will last a lifetime...

Much more info, stories, and photos on The Motor City Movie Theatre/Roller Rink and the Historical Project can be found here:
http://guarnieri.com/motorcity/

Beware the ever-present Muggle population...and enjoy the hunt! :)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Terra

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)