New Ren Theatre

In 1949 R.E. Renfroe launched the Ren Theatre on Water Street, the second of two post-World War II theatres in downtown Yazoo City. The Renfroes would also open the Ren Drive-In in McComb. But the theatre was almost immediately transferred to J.R. Revell who renamed it the New Ren Theatre. The policy was changed to an African American theatre, the town’s second such operation following the Dreamland Theatre.

Revell said that the competition was challenging because the ‘White’ theatres both had balconies for persons of color making it challenging to make money. However, he said that Saturday was the break-even day and his New Ren Theatre programmed two movies and a serial they could be profitable. Weekdays presented the most challenge because the program was changed daily and films with good word of mouth would leave before they could maximize profits.

The theatre also has a pool hall and bar associated with it. A regular at the venue was bluesman and Bluebird recording artist Tommy McClennan. Within one block of the theatre is an historical marker commemorating McClennan. On December 15, 1953, a fire gutted the New Ren Theatre after shows of that night.

The theatre appeared in the classified advertisements ‘for rent’ almost ten years later and was taken over by A.J. Peyton took a 20-year lease and rehabbed the building converting it to the Peppermint Lounge launching in 1962. He brought back the pool hall and the bar and added a live music venue featuring blues. In addition to a local house band, some top level blues talent graced the venue over its two decades of operation. After that, it appears it was next used as storage for Hills Building Supplies who had taken all the buildings on that side.

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