Abandoned for Ten Years: Detroit’s Zellah Theatre, 1914

Forgotten, out-of-the-way, abandoned, deserted, but historic. There are so many of these buildings throughout Michigan, especially Detroit, where these structures probably range into the thousands.

One such place is the former Zellah Theater. It is believed to have been run by a Jewish owner, as “Zellah” is morphed from the Hebrew word "tsela," meaning ‘rib’ or ‘side’. Nearby is the Hebrew ‘Beth Olem’ cemetery.

The business is long gone, but the structure remains, located at 5467 Moran Street in Detroit. As far as I could learn, the Zellah first began operating in May 1914. The first newspaper ad that touted the theater was for the silent film “Lucille Love, Girl of Mystery” starring Grace Cunard, opening that same month.

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The Zellah Theatre changed names by 1942, when it was called the Moran Theater, and ads from the 40s referred to the theater as “formerly the Zellah”. The Moran Theater lasted a few years and during the 1950s they stopped showing movies permanently.

In 1954, it was taken over by the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, founded by Reverend James Edward Reed. The exact year the parish was moved from Wabash Street to Moran Street is unknown, but documents show their occupancy in 1963. By 2006, the church closed its doors.

From December 2014 to 2016, it was called ‘The Sanctuary’ and turned into a concert venue. When The Sanctuary moved to Hamtramck, the former theater fell silent.

The last show would come in 2016 before the venue opened its new location at 2932 Caniff in Hamtramck in 2018. Since then, everything has been quiet at 5467 Moran Street. Driving that neighborhood, its difficult to fathom this theater in the midst of such a desolate Area.....but at one time, it was a destination for many residents within a few-mile radius.

Scroll a way down and see a few photos of how the former Zellah/Moran theater looks today.