The Harbor Theatre opened originally in 1938 as the Florence Theatre. The theatre was located at 1377 Bay Street in Florence, Oregon. The building still stands even today in Historic Old Town Florence, an area known for local shops, historic character, tourism, and community. From the beginning of the Florence Theatre, it has served as an important social center for residents and visitors of coastal Florence.
When it first opened, the Florence Theatre was built and operated by M.E Ritter Jr. and his wife, who also opened the nearby Rhodededron Drive in. The original building was a single-screen theatre that featured 350 seats, with additional standing room for overflow crowds. According to the Eugene Register-Guard, the construction of the theatre reportedly cost $10,000, which was a very large investment for the time. The building was designed in a 1930’s Classic Art Deco Style. The building displayed a large sign above the door with the word theatre illuminating the street that became one of the most recognizable and iconic sights on Bay Street. Although the original sign is no longer attached to the building, the sign has been preserved and is now displayed at the Darkside Cinema in Corvallis, Oregon. The building currently operates as a retail store, and there is a replica sign illuminating “shoes” where the original sign once stood.
In 1956, the Ritters sold the business to Mr. and Mrs. Claver and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, though the Ritters remained investors in the property. Just one year after the sale, an internal fire caused serious damage to the building, resulting in an estimated 15,000 dollar loss that was ultimately covered by insurance. Following renovations, the theatre reopened in 1957 as the Harbor Theatre. According to CinemaTour, the theatre had 390 seats upon its closure, so the extra seats were likely added following the renovation.
For more than seventy years, the Harbor Theatre served as one of Florence’s primary entertainment venues. Although limited to a single screen and auditorium, it offered a wide variety of programming that reflected both film culture and community life. The theatre primarily screened mainstream Hollywood films, including first-run features and popular blockbusters, and even offered double-feature nights during its early years. The theatre also hosted community moviegoing events that became part of the culture of downtown Bay Street.
Beyond film exhibition, the Harbor Theatre functioned as a broader center for local arts and entertainment. In 1939, the American Legion hosted a minstrel show at the theatre, reflecting a form of entertainment that was disappointingly common at the time. The show relied on racist blackfaces performances and harmful stereotypes. Unfortunately, this show sold out the seating and standing room overflow tickets and was given multiple opportunities to perform in the theatre. During the 1940s, the theatre hosted a marionette production that local elementary school students attended as part of a field trip. The marionette show was sponsored by the county health department, the Oregon State Board of Health, and the dental society. Students from Siuslaw High School also staged performances at the theatre. In June of 1938, they took a pause from entertainment showings to even allow the Siuslaw High Graduates to do their commencement activities in the theatre. These events demonstrate that the Harbor Theatre was just not a place to watch movies, but a gathering place that supported community performances, students, school events, and cultural experiences.
The Harbor Theatre remained in operation until 2003, when the building was purchased and converted into a shoe store. Its closure was influenced by the opening of a four-screen multiplex in Florence, which offered audiences more viewing options than the Harbor Theatre’s single-screen format could. Despite the closure, the building continues to stand as a historic landmark in Florence and serves as a reminder of the cinematic and community experiences that provide movies for generations of local life.
