The iconic Princess Theatre in Edmonton is listed with a huge drop in price
If you’ve been waiting for a drop in the price to purchase the iconic Princess Theatre on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton, this could be your chance.
The 1914-built theatre has been on the market for some time now, with the owners looking for someone who will continue the theatre’s operations or use it for something similar. It was listed on the market in 2022 for $3.1 million but was re-listed less than two weeks ago at $2.7 million.
Built by John McKernan, the theatre was the first marble-faced building in Western Canada. All of the materials used to make the theatre, except for the marble, which came from BC, were sourced from the local area.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
The first commercial film to be screened inside the theatre was The Eagle’s Mate starring Mary Pickford, a silent drama film released in 1914.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
The Princess Theatre has 360 seats, including a second-floor balcony, a concession, washrooms, and a projector room.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
In the basement of the building is where you’ll find Princess II, a second theatre boasting its own concession, washrooms, and a separate entrance off Whyte Avenue.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
In 1958, the theatre closed for some time but was restored and reopened in 1971 as The Klondike Theatre. In 1976, the theatre was designated a registered historic site by the Alberta Government in recognition of its architecture and its place in Alberta cinematic culture.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
The theatre was listed for lease early in the pandemic but shut down sometime in the fall of 2021, with the marquee on the front still reading that the theatre is open during COVID-19 restrictions.
We last visited the Princess Theatre in July 2021, when Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland starring Frances McDormand, screened inside Princess II.
Ian S. Fletcher/MaxWell Polaris
The property can also be leased and can come fully equipped. But as the theatre stands vacant, we hope to see a movie inside again someday.
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