Following Abbey's death in 1896, Al Hayman and the Theatrical Syndicate group took control of the theatre and rechristened it the Knickerbocker.

In its early years, the theatre hosted productions of Shakespeare's plays and Edwardian musical comedy.

In 1906, the theatre introduced the first moving electrical sign on Broadway with an advertisement for its production of Herbert's The Red Mill.

[1] After World War I, the theatre continued to present a mixture of musicals, new plays and classics.

It was demolished in 1930, along with the nearby Casino Theatre, to make way for the expanding Garment District.