Historic Sites of Manitoba: Roxy Theatre / Roxy Lanes (385 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

This dark red brick building on Henderson Highway in Winnipeg was designed by local architect Max Zev Blankstein and built in 1929 with work overseen by the city engineering department's John Worthy Battershill to ensure that fireproofing requirements were met by owner Jacob Miles.

The 1,200-seat, two-storey theatre opened to the public on 24 December 1929. It featured a Spanish-style draw curtain while the ceiling consisted of a blue-sky image with lights in the ceiling creating an image of twinkling stars and slowly drifting stars. The inside walls were decorated in the style of Spanish Moorish houses with sloping tile roofs and windows which were curtained and lighted. The lobby contained a stone fireplace built from Manitoba Tyndall stone while the outside of the theatre featured a 10-foot neon sign.

The theatre closed in May 1960 and reopened as a 20-lane bowling alley on 24 December 1960, exactly 31 years after its initial opening. The bowling alley closed in 2022 and, at the time of a 2023 site visit, the building was vacant.

Roxy Theatre (circa 1930) Source: Russ Gourluck, Silver Screens on the Prairie, Winnipeg: Great Plains Publications. The former Roxy Theatre (December 2017) Source: George Penner The former Roxy Theatre (December 2018) Source: George Penner The former Roxy Theatre (January 2023) Source: Jordan Makichuk Site Location (lat/long): N49.91804, W97.11249 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Max Zev Blankstein (1874-1931)

Memorable Manitobans: Jacob “Jack” Miles (1887-1951)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Roxy Theatre (291 Hamilton Street, Neepawa)

Manitoba Business: Allied Amusements Limited

Sources:

“New theatre will open on Christmas Eve,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 December 1929, page 19.

“Roxy,” Manitoba Free Press, 25 December 1929, page 4.

Max Blankstein: Architect by Murray Peterson, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation, 2022.

385 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation.

385 Henderson Highway - Roxy Lanes by Christian Cassidy, Winnipeg Places, 16 April 2022.

“Roxy Lanes could face wrecking ball after being sold, heritage advocates fear,” CBC News, 16 April 2022.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Jordan Makichuk, and George Penner.

Page revised: 14 January 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. SEARCH the collection Browse lists of: Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other Please note that inclusion in this collection does not mean that a particular site has special status or protection. Some sites are on private property and permission must be secured from the owner prior to visiting. Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes. Send corrections and additions to this page to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca. Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ Help us keep history alive!