The Legend of Colorado’s Aladdin Theater + its Demise

For the past handful of decades, Denver's East Colfax neighborhood has carried a stigma of being one of the most dangerous in all of Colorado, and deservedly so.

Read More: Flashback: Notoriously Dangerous Colorado Neighborhood in 1985 |

However, with music venues such as the Ogden Theater, Bluebird Theater, and Fillmore Auditorium, there's certainly an artistic vibe that often overshadows the crime.

One theater that was unfortunately torn down back in 1984, The Aladdin Theater, would have been named in the same breath as the others had it been preserved as so many Coloradans wanted, but it carries quite a legacy nonetheless.

Colorado’s Aladdin Theater: The Taj Mahal of East Colfax

The Aladdin Theater first opened its doors in 1926 and because of its unique architectural design, paired with Middle Eastern imagery, was nicknamed The Taj Mahal of East Colfax. 

The theater began showing silent films but became the first in Colorado to screen movies with sound and with the showing of The Jazz Singer, the first venue in the state with "talkies."

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As years passed and newer, more modern theaters began popping up, The Aladdin shifted its focus toward live productions, but dwindling numbers of patrons would see its eventual demise.

Colorado’s Aladdin Theater + its Demise

Despite cementing its place in the history books, Colorado's Aladdin Theater struggled to pay its bills and in 1984, the owner of the building opted to tear it down, despite resistance from the community.

Today, a Walgreens store sits at the location once occupied by the Aladdin Theater, but its memory and legacy will be a part of Colorado's history forever.