Heritage in the Hat: Talk of the Towne

By SALLY SEHN on March 14, 2023.

On March 1, 1956, ‘Hatters excitedly welcomed a new cinema, the Towne Theatre. At a cost of $250,000, the new theatre was built and owned by Adolph Dederer.

The Towne had a seating capacity of 750 and featured a large balcony. In the early days, tickets were 75 cents for adults, 50 cents for students and 25 cents for children. For an extra dime, one could be seated in the balcony where smoking was allowed. Although there were other popular theatres – the Monarch, the Astra and the Roxy – the Towne Theatre was a welcome addition.

Television had not yet been introduced to the city of 21,000 and movies were a major source of entertainment. Mayor Harry Veiner officiated at the grand opening. The event was described by a News reporter as the “climax” of 69-year-old Dederer’s career. Little did he know.

Adolph Dederer was born in Russia, of German ancestry. He came to Canada in 1908, arriving in Medicine Hat in 1921. A born entrepreneur, Dederer’s business activities included a general store, a farm, a corner grocery store, a specialty flour mill, and later, theatres and hotels.

Adolph encouraged his grown children to participate in the family business, Dederer Enterprises. Twins John and Clara Dederer played an important role in the Dederer theatres. Dederer Enterprises also operated the Hat Drive-In located near the Stampede Grounds.

Dederer’s theatre interest began in 1941 when he purchased the building at 639 Third Street, today the site of the Stardust Café.

The historic building, constructed around 1910 was built as a hardware store on the lower level and an entertainment venue called the Opera House, on the upper level.

Dederer repurposed the building as a theatre with state-of-the-art sound equipment. The renovated premises boasted modern air conditioning. The theatre featured a new concept, “girl ushers.”

Four years after the Towne was constructed, the Astra closed its doors and Dederer converted it to a retail outlet.

In late 1971, Dederer Enterprises announced it was leasing the theatre to Towne Cinemas of Edmonton.

Son Alex Dederer was the Towne Theatre’s manager at the time. The building was to later undergo seating conversions and was last leased by Landmark Cinemas.

On March 8, 2007, Landmark Cinemas announced the closing of the Towne Theatre and two days later, the theatre permanently shuttered. Although the building was redeveloped by a new owner in 2012, the building was to suffer severe interior damage and remains vacant.

Once lit up by neon, the theatre’s marquee and illuminated sign, created in 1956 by National Neon Display Ltd., from Lethbridge, still survives.

Not ready to retire, in 1959, Adolph Dederer built the Park Lane Hotel. Seventeen year later, Dederer, now 90 years old, began another venture.

Motivated by “boredom”, according to his granddaughter Lorine (Dederer) Marshall, Adolph redesigned a city landmark when he creatively converted an historic flour mill to a hotel and tavern. And that is another story!

Sally Sehn is a past Member of the Heritage Resources Committee, City of Medicine Hat. Additional Dederer family history provided by Lorine (Dederer) Marshall.

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