Paradise Theatre in Toronto’s Bloorcourt neighbourhood has lived many lives over the last century, and if its walls could talk, they’d probably tell a story as dramatic as any film that’s ever screened there.
Situated at 1006 Bloor Street W., the landmark property first opened back in 1910 as simply Bloor Palace, a one-storey brick theatre serving the fast-growing community. In 1937, it expanded and rebranded as Paradise Theatre, complete with a distinctive art deco style, helmed by architect Benjamin Brown.
The geometric detailing on the walls and terrazzo floors, along with the mighty and bright marquee, helped cement its status as a local landmark. Even to this day, the marquee lights remain one of the most iconic (and most photogenic, I concur) sights in the whole city.
The restored Paradise sign. Photo by Jack Landau.
Over the decades, you could say the theatre repeatedly reinvented itself to meet the current culture as if it were the protagonist in Forrest Gump.
At one point, it became a hub for Italian-language films, and then later it morphed into an adult-only cinema. But by 2006, the screen had gone dark.
Around that time, there were even rumblings that the theatre would turn into a pharmacy, a fate that ultimately did come to pass for the nearby Runnymede Theatre-turned-Shoppers Drug Mart.
Though that potential transformation almost feels like an urban legend and hardly the blockbuster comeback you’d expect for a venue that’s well over a century old, and approaching its centennial birthday under the Paradise branding.
With its fate hanging in the balance, the theatre was designated as a heritage property just one year after the projector went dark, in 2007, protecting it from demolition and ensuring the iconic structure would live on in one form or another.
After spending 13 years as an abandoned relic, Paradise Theatre reopened in late 2019 thanks to financier Moray Tawse, who bought the property and spearheaded its restoration. Heritage firm ERA Architects restored the exterior brickwork and rebuilt the original marquee sign, preserving the theatre’s signature art deco style.
Paradise Theatre at night. Photo by Jack Landau.
The theatre even kept its vintage ticket booth out front, a charming touch you don’t often see at other indie cinemas in the city.
Old-school ticket booth at Paradise Theatre. Photo by Fareen Karim.
Inside, the gold and green circular lobby bar was inspired by old-school TTC streetcars.
Paradise Theatre lobby. Photo by Fareen Karim.
There are two levels to the theatre, with 106 comfy seats on the ground floor that offer plenty of leg room. The first five rows can actually be retracted to create an open floor for different events.
The theatre screen stretches 27 feet wide and has a smaller screen behind it for special lectures and live talks.
Paradise Theatre main floor. Photo by Fareen Karim.
The 22 balcony seats up top offer a finer in-seat dining experience where guests can relax, enjoy a drink and enjoy the show.
Paradise Theatre balcony. Photo by Fareen Karim.
Movie lovers rushed to celebrate its triumphant return, but then, just a few months later, the pandemic hit. As you can imagine, 2020 wasn’t a great year for the newly renovated and newly reopened business.
Many local businesses and other theatres didn’t survive the pandemic, this we know. Paradise Theatre had to close its doors once more, yet somehow it persevered through those unprecedented times – a remarkable feat given how many venues in Toronto sadly didn’t make it.
Today, Paradise Theatre continues to be a safe haven for cinephiles and anyone looking to enjoy movies, live performances, and community events in a warm, welcoming space.
You can pretty much call it a one-stop shop with Blue Door Wine Bar next door that also stands as a bottle shop, and Cafe Paradise, which allows patrons to fuel up on buttermilk pancakes, matzo ball chicken noodle soup, or their signature Reuben sandwich before a screening.
Inside Cafe Paradise. Photo by Fareen Karim.
Paradise Theatre also hosts a variety of monthly and bi-monthly programs, including Queer Cinema Club, Drag Me to the Movies, and Candlelight Concerts.
Paradise Theatre is even putting together a Stephen King film retrospective beginning Feb. 24 as part of the Paradise Book Club series, in collaboration with Type Books.
Organizers Kevin Greenspan and Claire Foster have been curating the screening series since 2024. It all started with a single showing of Alex Garland’s sci-fi masterpiece Annihilation, and the program quickly snowballed from there.
“What really makes it or breaks it is the people that you’re with, and I think Paradise Theatre has done a really great job of cultivating a community that is really engaged and passionate about film,” Greenspan says, reflecting on what makes the series so special.
Greenspan says that Paradise Theatre was the perfect partner for the Book Club series, as the theatre was already building a vibrant programming ecosystem and community post-pandemic.
“There’s such a desire in Toronto right now to be in rooms with people who are reading and thinking about books and art and film, and really connecting with other humans,” says Foster.
And, as its name suggests, there may be no better place to immerse yourself in art than at Paradise Theatre.