The Clyde, A Rich History

The Clyde, A Rich History. . , 1949: Helen Quimby commissions renowned Fort Wayne architect A.M. Strauss to draw up plans for The Clyde Theatre in Quimby Village in honor of her late husband, Clyde Quimby, Clyde Quimby owned considerable business property in the region and owned or leased the Emboyd (now Embassy), Jefferson, Palace, and Strand Theatres, A.M. Strauss's other famous building designs in the region include the Embassy Theatre, Indiana Hotel, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, and the Lincoln Bank Tower., 1951: The Clyde Theatre opens on April 19 as a massive 1,782-seat movie theater, beginning a more than two-decade run as one of the region's premier movie houses., 1980s: The Clyde Theatre begins to face steep competition from more modern multiscreen theaters and struggles through different attempts to keep the venue open., 1993: The Clyde Theatre finally closes its doors, sitting vacant for the next 25 years and falling into a state of disrepair., 2012: Rick Kinney purchases The Clyde Theatre at a tax sale with the vision of turning it into a live music venue. He spends the next five years working to convince community leaders and investors to support a major restoration., 2017: Local business leaders and philanthropists, Chuck and Lisa Surack, commit the majority of funding to a $9 million Clyde Theatre renovation project. With additional support from state and local public funding partners, the Suracks expand the vision and scope of the project while retaining the beauty of the original architecture. Additional support from Sweetwater, the #1 online retailer of music in- struments and professional audio gear in the United States, puts The Clyde on a path to become a truly world class music, entertainment and special events venue. New features powered by Sweetwater include customized acoustical treatments throughout the building, cutting edge production equipment, and state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems., 2018: The Clyde opens on May 8 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The first official concert on May 12 features The Used, with more national touring acts to quickly follow. With ongoing support from Sweetwater and a commitment to presenting outstanding music and arts experiences for the entire community, The Clyde is once again a beacon in our region.