The theater was established by Silvio Lacoma in 1919 to cater to affluent Mexican refugees hungry for movies, theater, comedy and opera productions featuring the best Spanish-language performers from all over the world—La Familia Bell, Virginia Fabregaz, Los Hermanos Arei, Don Catarino, Nelly Fernández. In later years, Mexican superstars such as Cantinflas, Pedro Infante and Tin Tan would make appearances at the Colón as well. The Colón became the secondlongest continually operating Hispanic theater in U.S. history before closing its doors in 1976.
