Built in 1936, The State Theatre operated as a popular movie until the late 1980's. The first film shown was Thanks A Million starring Dick Powell and on November 27, 1988 the State closed its doors after a final showing of Die Hard starring Bruce Willis. The first theatre on the East Coast to be centrally air-conditioned, the State was the flagship of the family-owned Neighborhood Theatres chain which also operated, among others, the Glebe (now a Duron paint store), the Buckingham (now a Post Office) and the Jefferson (now a Chile's restaurant). A multi-million dollar restoration in the late 1990's turned it into the Washington Metro area's favorite new venue for live music and private events. The full theatrical stage is original, as are the 200 balcony seats and both lobbies. The theatre seats on the main floor were removed to allow for the re-design of the auditorium which now accomodates full service dining, standing and dancing areas and two full service bars.
