Entry No. 37 — the Tampa file — filed under: microcinema
Screen Door Microcinema
Tucked upstairs in the historic Kress Building with zero street signage, this 38-seat DIY microcinema screens obscure cult classics, B-movies, and forgotten VHS treasures.
The story
Finding a movie theater on 7th Avenue used to mean looking for a historic marquee that hasn't lit up in half a century. Then in October 2022, Warren Cockerham, Sean O'Brien, and Ann-Eliza Musoke carved out Screen Door Microcinema on the second floor of Ybor City's Kress Building. There is no neon sign on the sidewalk, no glass box office, and no concession stand pumping artificial butter scent down the block. Instead, you get 38 velvet seats squeezed into suite #228, screening forgotten 1980s cult flicks, regional B-movies, and obscure VHS archives that streaming platforms ignore.
The room operates alongside a cluster of independent art spaces upstairs in the Kress complex, built on cinephile DIY energy. Screenings lean heavily into oddity cinema, ranging from forgotten Florida archival footage to live-score film events where local musicians perform custom soundtracks directly beside the screen. It is cinema culture stripped down to its bare essentials—a dark room run by people who would rather track down a lost film print than sell you a jumbo drink.
What it's like
Finding the entrance feels like a private handoff. You walk up to 1624 E 7th Avenue, press the street door buzzer after hours, and wait for someone upstairs to click you into the stairwell. Head up to suite #228 to find 38 velvet seats facing a modest screen, filled with an audience that actually keeps their phones in their pockets. Because screening dates are event-based rather than daily runs and web listings can lag, double-check their current event schedules on social media before making the trip.
The move: Press the buzzer at the locked 7th Avenue street door after hours, head up the dark stairs, and settle into intimate velvet seating for a late-night screening of a rare 1980s cult film.
- 📍 Ybor City
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1624 E 7th Ave #228, Tampa, FL 33605
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tempus Projects — Located on the same upper floor of the Kress Building, letting you pair experimental art installations with microcinema screenings without leaving the hallway.
- Dysfunctional Grace Art Co. — Perched nearby on 7th Avenue, this upstairs macabre shop makes a great taxidermy-and-curiosities warmup before a late-night cult film.
- SpookEasy Lounge & The Catacombs — Keep the hidden Ybor vibe going a block away with kava elixirs served behind a sliding bookcase.
- Madame Fortune Dessert + HiFi Parlour — Swap celluloid projection for high-fidelity vintage vinyl acoustics inside a speakeasy hidden behind a deli.
Good to know
How do I get into the building after hours?
Locate 1624 E 7th Ave, press the street buzzer at the locked entrance, and take the stairs up to suite #228 once you hear the door unlock.
What kind of films do they screen?
Their lineup covers rare 1980s cult cinema, forgotten B-movies, vintage VHS tapes, local history visual archives, and live-score screenings.
How many seats are in the venue?
The room holds exactly 38 velvet seats.
Should I verify showtimes before going?
Yes. Screenings occur on specific event nights rather than a standard daily schedule, so verify showtimes on their current event listings before heading out.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: cinematreasures.org · bayartfiles.com · cltampa.com · thatssotampa.com · Reddit · Facebook
last checked: 2026-07-21