in the united states, the mid to late 1920s was a booming time for the film industry. with the growing power and vertical integration of major companies, between 1922 and 1930 the total investment in the film industry jumped from $78 million to $850 million. the average weekly attendance at american movie theatres doubled from 40 million in 1922 to 80 million in 1928. a key component to this growth was the creation of movie theatres. there was competition to provide a tremendous experience which led to the extravagant era of the picture palace. the term picture palace is used to describe the opulent style of theatre that seated thousands. the iconographic features of the exterior of the theatre were designed to make the front of the theatre a "show window" to invite customers to come see a performance. with fancy lobbies, uniformed ushers, musical accompaniments, and unique architecture these picture palaces were a unique draw that allowed a place where working and middle-class patrons could find luxury. reflecting this national trend was kalamazoo, a rising city during the twenties; due to the rapid increase in population it began to develop a need for a prominent theatre.