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Overview

The Princess and Empress Theatres likely operated in a first-floor storefront of a mixed-use building at 1903-1909 NW Market Street during the 1910s and 1920s. This three-story building, erected in 1909 and known to the King County Assessor as the "Pac Med Apartment Building," remained standing in 2021, something of a miracle given the amount of rebuilding done in the Ballard neighborhood during the 2000s and 2010s.

Building History

The Princess Theatre did business on the southwest corner of Market Street and Tallman Avenue in 1916. In 1916, another theatre called the Princess at 4905 Rainier Avenue existed, and the Ballard theatre owner likely changed the name to avoid confusion.

It was renamed the "Empress Theatre" by 1918, and operated for another year or so, before ceasing operation in 1920. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1918, p. 105 and R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1919, p. 95.) On the Cinema Treasures.org web site, theatre historian Joe Vogel noted in 2014: "Another early movie house in Ballard was mentioned in the January 25, 1919, issue of The Film Daily, which said that the Empress Theatre in Ballard had been sold to Martin McClanahan by A. C. Alden." (See Joe Vogel, "Ballard Theatre: Recent Comments," published 05/25/2014, accessed 05/06/2021.)

The Empress remained closed until 1922, when it reappeared across the street and one block east, where it operated between approximately 1922 and 1925. The Empress returned to its Market and Tallman location in 1926, and operated here until about 1928. (SeeR.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1926, p. 1719 and R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1928, p. 1960.)

Building Notes

In 1918, the proprietor of the Empress Theatre was H.O. Alden. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1918, p. 95.) In 1919, the management changed to T.G. McClanahan. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1919, p. 95.) The G & G Theatre Company likely bought the Empress in early 1920 or late 1919, perhaps just after the Empress Theatre #1 closed.