Lake County Theatres 

The first movies were shown before 1918 in a wooden theater on the north side of Main Street between Sixth and Seventh streets. By 1918, it was torn down and the motion picture theater was across the street. The second theater, the Prince Theater, was built across the street and today is home to two area businesses. Eventually, the Palace Theatre and the Fain Theatre, later called the Tropic Theater, were built.

 

1926 -  Prince Theater, on the south side of Main Street in the 600 block

 

From a deed:

 

17 Jul 1922 H M & May C P Goethe of Lake Co, Florida (vendors)
  to Leesburg Hardware & Supply Co
  220 ft long from Main to Magnolia; width 145 ft 9 ½ inch
  lots 13 ½, 14 & east 52 ft 9 ½ inch of 15
  occupied by Francesca Hotel & Prince Theater also leases to M P Stewart & A W Bailey. Marvin/Marion P. Stewart was proprietor of the theater in 1920.  Known as a pioneer theater..., he was manager of the Palace Theater in 1924.

On the northeast corner of Second and Main was the Dodge Garage, “with Mr. Brookings as Manager.” Eventually, the location became home to Fain Theatre in 1937, later called the Tropic Theatre.  Later, the theater was turned into a twin cinema and expanded.