Emporia used to have one of the finest small town movie palaces in this country.Acording to the National trust magazine some years back and a man engaged at the time to the owner’s daughter,the soulless pratt cared not a witt about it,and it was leveled.
It is sadly inronic that say much of the old retail core of downtown Richmond,the great department store hulks ,are going and gone for this arts center boondogle.Anyone familiar with the horror that is politics in the City of Richmond,knows there is big trouble in Little China.The “Arts Center"has become a political football between several forces.Mayor Wilder,in his patented,butt-headed way has tried to interject sanity into that zoo.The inmates of the zoo are saying "no way Jose”.Hopefully the great theater will not be hurt by the over-reaching of some and the infighting by others.
It is sad to hear that this theater is no more.I saw several movies there in 1967 era.It was a very nice house.There was a nice theater very close to this one.Plus,A block away was a “new” theater in the basement of the Regina Inn.I got my hair cut in a shop near the enterance of the theater,also below the hotel.The Americans I was always with refered to it as “Redchina”,rather than Regina.That wasn’t nice.Sask.is much better than the home of the chicoms.Did have some fun run-ins with real commies at the college theater during some public events.We Americans in dark suits were suspected of being FBI agents hunting draft dodgers.
The “style"of this theater can best be described as post-WW II concrete block.I got a Vandermeide record as part of a white elephant gift at a HP Christmas party a few years ago.I’m too frightened to play it.
ONE THING THAT IS A FACT!!!the Byrd is the grandest theater in the whole region that still shows normal,scheduled movies.Yes,the Carpenter and a few others in the mid-Atlatic are a bit grander or larger,but NO movies.You don’t have to pay 35 dollars or more to see the trans-siberian ballet and bagpipers to enjoy the experience.I’ve tried to figure out how many great theaters still operate as the Byrd.There are not many in the entire country.
I had a conversation recently(last wk.)with a Byrd manager type.I tried in a nice way to convey that they do a less than satisfactory job of communicating what they do to the public.Not everyone is going to seek out the website.There could be out reach to school groups and community clubs,etc.I’ve seen elementary age kids going into the Byrd the first time.The wonder in their faces is something to see.99% of adults under 35 have never been to a REAL movie theater in their lives.The near uniqueness of this grand ols lady MUST be preserved,nutured and,most of all,used.The National Trust and other groups need to be utilized and constantly communicated with,in order to keep the Byrd’s restoration on the front burner.
I went to shows here several times in the 60’s,once in 1970.It was a beautifully elegant house.The nice place that was Sugar House back then added to the enjoyment.My new wife liked to check out the furniture store across the street.Still have the only pc.I bought there,an end table.The ice cream store around the corner was a legend.Only Country Boy Dairy in N.Ogden can compare in quality today.
I should also ask if any sources have anything on the old theater in Burkeville.It was a drug store for many years and is now an insurance office.In nearby(3 miles) Crewe is an ancient downtown theater that looks to be closed for MANY years.The adjoining bdg is being demolished.Believe it was at one time a railroad hotel.
You do a great job ferreting out the old drive in records.One of the last to close in VA was not far from this one,just down the road,North of Keysville.It was a small venue,family operation,closed about three years ago.
Mucho thanks for the Lendy’s pages.Boy!Did those waft me back through the ages.I remembered my fender-bender in the Franklin Rd.location on prom night ‘64.I would have one disagreement,a lot of Cave Spring people went to Lee Hi.Yeas that was the 220 Drive In I was refering to.I remember it ,like the Salem Theater,had a brief turn showing porn before the lights went out.Have you been to the place on Shenedoah Ave that serves Lendy’s food?
Saw TORA TORA there.Then you’d head to Lendy’s a few hundred yards West for that after theater treat and to see who was with who.It was a pretty good drive in.The valley used to have several,all long gone.I guess the Hull is the closest one to Roanoke now.Hope this fellow will list the legendary drive in S on 220.
Downtown Newport News is a monument to the utter idiocy of “urban renewal"What a wasteland.There are 3 old theaters in NN being used as churches.One S.of the freeway,2 N.
This theater was the center piece of a planned community,Hilton Village,primarily ship yard workers.Get off the freeway when in Tidewater and visit this scenic area.The once thriving business district still has some interesting shops.
My favorite movie memory from the Grandin was Dr.Strangelove.A lot of the senior class of Cave Spring,‘64 saw it there and did skits from our favorite parts during school time.Giving the nazi salute to Quillan or Overstreet when their backs were turned often happened.I do remember some ads styling the Grandin as Roanoke’s last movie palace.That reminded me of a line from 1776,but forget that..It’s like calling a ford pinto a BMW.Both beat walking,but there is a difference.The Byrd is a movie palace.The Grandin as a nice neighborhood movie house that through great love and pain has survived,when every other one in the beautiful valley has bit the dust.Kudos for that.
The pictures of the Ritz obviously are not the large black theater I remember.The area looks like it was on the west side of downtown,which wasn’t much in the 40’s.Tallahassee was such a small town well into the 60’s.
Today’s SLC paper has a good article on the theater and the owner’s intent.He stepped up to save the building atleast,when no other person or group would.
Emporia used to have one of the finest small town movie palaces in this country.Acording to the National trust magazine some years back and a man engaged at the time to the owner’s daughter,the soulless pratt cared not a witt about it,and it was leveled.
I believe a Regal mutiplex occupied part of this site,but it has been closed for several years.
According to another web site,this nice old theater is used for community theater productions.Was built in 1926
It is sadly inronic that say much of the old retail core of downtown Richmond,the great department store hulks ,are going and gone for this arts center boondogle.Anyone familiar with the horror that is politics in the City of Richmond,knows there is big trouble in Little China.The “Arts Center"has become a political football between several forces.Mayor Wilder,in his patented,butt-headed way has tried to interject sanity into that zoo.The inmates of the zoo are saying "no way Jose”.Hopefully the great theater will not be hurt by the over-reaching of some and the infighting by others.
It is sad to hear that this theater is no more.I saw several movies there in 1967 era.It was a very nice house.There was a nice theater very close to this one.Plus,A block away was a “new” theater in the basement of the Regina Inn.I got my hair cut in a shop near the enterance of the theater,also below the hotel.The Americans I was always with refered to it as “Redchina”,rather than Regina.That wasn’t nice.Sask.is much better than the home of the chicoms.Did have some fun run-ins with real commies at the college theater during some public events.We Americans in dark suits were suspected of being FBI agents hunting draft dodgers.
The “style"of this theater can best be described as post-WW II concrete block.I got a Vandermeide record as part of a white elephant gift at a HP Christmas party a few years ago.I’m too frightened to play it.
This was one of the most beautiful small theaters I ever saw.They managed to stuff a lot of features into a small house.
ONE THING THAT IS A FACT!!!the Byrd is the grandest theater in the whole region that still shows normal,scheduled movies.Yes,the Carpenter and a few others in the mid-Atlatic are a bit grander or larger,but NO movies.You don’t have to pay 35 dollars or more to see the trans-siberian ballet and bagpipers to enjoy the experience.I’ve tried to figure out how many great theaters still operate as the Byrd.There are not many in the entire country.
I had a conversation recently(last wk.)with a Byrd manager type.I tried in a nice way to convey that they do a less than satisfactory job of communicating what they do to the public.Not everyone is going to seek out the website.There could be out reach to school groups and community clubs,etc.I’ve seen elementary age kids going into the Byrd the first time.The wonder in their faces is something to see.99% of adults under 35 have never been to a REAL movie theater in their lives.The near uniqueness of this grand ols lady MUST be preserved,nutured and,most of all,used.The National Trust and other groups need to be utilized and constantly communicated with,in order to keep the Byrd’s restoration on the front burner.
There was an indoor theater in the town.Couldn’t figure out a possible bldg,day before yesterday,as I looked.
I went to shows here several times in the 60’s,once in 1970.It was a beautifully elegant house.The nice place that was Sugar House back then added to the enjoyment.My new wife liked to check out the furniture store across the street.Still have the only pc.I bought there,an end table.The ice cream store around the corner was a legend.Only Country Boy Dairy in N.Ogden can compare in quality today.
I should also ask if any sources have anything on the old theater in Burkeville.It was a drug store for many years and is now an insurance office.In nearby(3 miles) Crewe is an ancient downtown theater that looks to be closed for MANY years.The adjoining bdg is being demolished.Believe it was at one time a railroad hotel.
You do a great job ferreting out the old drive in records.One of the last to close in VA was not far from this one,just down the road,North of Keysville.It was a small venue,family operation,closed about three years ago.
Another victim of Walmart.
Mucho thanks for the Lendy’s pages.Boy!Did those waft me back through the ages.I remembered my fender-bender in the Franklin Rd.location on prom night ‘64.I would have one disagreement,a lot of Cave Spring people went to Lee Hi.Yeas that was the 220 Drive In I was refering to.I remember it ,like the Salem Theater,had a brief turn showing porn before the lights went out.Have you been to the place on Shenedoah Ave that serves Lendy’s food?
Sits partly on the site of the LeeHi Drive In
Saw TORA TORA there.Then you’d head to Lendy’s a few hundred yards West for that after theater treat and to see who was with who.It was a pretty good drive in.The valley used to have several,all long gone.I guess the Hull is the closest one to Roanoke now.Hope this fellow will list the legendary drive in S on 220.
The beautiful facade is preserved as the front of another nondescript office bldg.It just teases and taunts at the short-sightedness of man.
The Paramount and Uinta were both in the 100 East block of Center St.
Downtown Newport News is a monument to the utter idiocy of “urban renewal"What a wasteland.There are 3 old theaters in NN being used as churches.One S.of the freeway,2 N.
This theater was the center piece of a planned community,Hilton Village,primarily ship yard workers.Get off the freeway when in Tidewater and visit this scenic area.The once thriving business district still has some interesting shops.
My favorite movie memory from the Grandin was Dr.Strangelove.A lot of the senior class of Cave Spring,‘64 saw it there and did skits from our favorite parts during school time.Giving the nazi salute to Quillan or Overstreet when their backs were turned often happened.I do remember some ads styling the Grandin as Roanoke’s last movie palace.That reminded me of a line from 1776,but forget that..It’s like calling a ford pinto a BMW.Both beat walking,but there is a difference.The Byrd is a movie palace.The Grandin as a nice neighborhood movie house that through great love and pain has survived,when every other one in the beautiful valley has bit the dust.Kudos for that.
The pictures of the Ritz obviously are not the large black theater I remember.The area looks like it was on the west side of downtown,which wasn’t much in the 40’s.Tallahassee was such a small town well into the 60’s.
The theater due East of the capitol,down the hill,up the hill and near a Sears was what?It was at least a mile or more due East.
Today’s SLC paper has a good article on the theater and the owner’s intent.He stepped up to save the building atleast,when no other person or group would.