What’s the history of the Market Theater?
The Market Theater was a stable for the horses of farmers who began the Public Market, back in 1907. The Economy Building, where the theater now resides, was later sectioned off into warehouses. In 1977, after Pike Place Public Market was saved from development, the Pike Place Public Development Authority wanted to encourage an evening trade. They leased the space to cinema entrepreneurs who built a movie house. It included old movie theatre seats, a brass front door from a New York theatre and carpet remnants from the original Radio City Music Hall lobby (believe it or not!) Unfortunately these cinema buff speculators were unable to turn a profit, and the cinema closed, circa 1989. It became home to Unexpected Productions (UP) in 1991.
