Above: Advertising on the Strand’s marquee told the story—decades of movie-going at the Strand Theatre ended in 1992; familiar Strand advertising from the 1980s until its closing.

It had been a long run, but in the early 1990s, over 75 years of movie-going ended in downtown Alma. At the start of the 1980s, the Strand Theatre faced severe challenges. First-run movies came late – if they played in Alma at all. In August 1981, Harrison Ford’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” finally appeared nine weeks after being released in Mt. Pleasant. During Christmas 1981, the Strand closed for an entire month, although adults paid $3 and kids paid $1.25 to watch a movie. A year later, in 1982, the Strand started its policy of “All Seats All Shows for Only $1.50.” Even though these were generous ticket reductions, the VHS rental craze started, and soon, in the 1980s, one debated renting and watching a movie at home.

Determining who owned and managed the Strand during its last twenty years is a mystery, especially after owner Keith Musser died in the 1970s. Linda Apple became the Strand’s manager from 1981 to 1986; the theater had nine employees. By then, Apple reported that she only had five days’ notice to get a movie and could only plan showings two weeks in advance. Second runs were a norm then, except for an occasional big release like “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” which debuted in December 1986 and had a large turnout. People knew that although ticket prices were low, prices remained high as concessionaires controlled the cost of candy, pop, and popcorn.

The end of the Strand appeared on the horizon by late March 1989. Steve A. Smith from S&R Investments announced that Alma would have a new $750,000 cinema complex in the Pine River Plaza, next to 300 Bowl. The idea of a new cinema corresponded to changes on Wright Avenue as it grew in the 1990s. A new Fisher Big Wheel store, restaurants like Taco Bell, and a new Wal-Mart came along. The new Alma Cinemas featured four screens, had a sign visible from US-27, and opened on September 15, 1989. The first movie shown at the Cinemas was “The Adventures of Milo and Otis.”

On February 16, 1992, a Sunday, the Strand closed its doors for good. For some time after this, a passerby wondered what would become of the old movie theatre with the marquee displaying a message that read “Closed.” However, another group had a dream for the Strand, and that came through the vision of the Gratiot County Players. They wanted the Strand but needed $80,000 from the owners, Craig and Kristin Naffziger. The Players pulled the deal together and showed old movies on weekends to help raise money to pay off their purchase. They eventually succeeded and held performances at the Strand several times each year.

A final goodbye to the movie days at the Strand took place on August 13, 2004. On that day, “Grand Slam at the Strand” was held as former workers and those associated with the Strand from the Depression through the 1950s showed up for a red carpet reunion. Interviews recalled the old days; visitors could leave handprints on the sidewalks. The grand old movie place, a fixture since its start in 1920, had this one last hurrah in Alma and Gratiot County. Looking back, it all began with the first movie at the Opera House. Alma’s movie history then played out with the Liberty, Idlehour, and Alma Theaters, in addition to two different Strand Theaters.

Copyright 2024 James M. Goodspeed

Did you know the Strand’s owners or managers from the 1970s to 1992? If so, please send me a note.