Goodbye to North Philadelphia’s Decade-Old Pearl Theatre at Avenue North

The beloved movie theatre closed its doors abruptly this weekend, thanking North Philly "for 10 great years." An AMC theatre will reportedly take its spot.

Pearl Theatre at Avenue North

The Pearl Theatre at Avenue North via Google Maps.

North Philadelphia is losing a precious pearl.

The Pearl Theatre at Avenue North closed abruptly this weekend after 10 years of business on Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia.

The Pearl was the first movie theater to open in North Philly in almost four decades at the time of its arrival, according to The Temple News. The theater witnessed a decade of rapid change and development surrounding the university, from its 2006 opening (when, just days after, a shooting outside drew backlash from the community) to its eventual establishment as a hotspot for students and community members alike.

It’s not yet clear why the theater closed. Avenue North developer Bart Blatstein told the the Inquirer that an AMC theatre will take its spot.

A “Thank You” and goodbye message glowed outside the location last night.

https://twitter.com/OhWho_OhLu/status/770263798234148864

In August, the health department closed the concession stand at the theater’s North Philadelphia location after discovering three violations, according to the Inquirer.

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