The Madison was a small neighborhood theatre on Center St., facing Bickford St. They had the best popcorn. A lady named Mary was the ticket seller, Dutchie Bauer was the “head usher”, but I don’t remember the owner’s name. Apparently they used Sulpha-Napthol to clean the “restrooms” because when one was standing at the popcorn machine the smell permeated the area. The smell of the popcorn was a more pleasant aroma. Wednesday was “Dish Night” where you paid an extra amount, maybe 25-30 cents and got one piece of a set of dishes until you collected a whole set including serving bowls, platters and sugar bowl & creamer; and every now & then someone would drop their dish or whatever piece was given that week. Plus you got to see a double feature, newsreel and previews of coming attractions. Saturday was the day for Westerns, Serials & cartoons. If you were lucky enough to cash in some soda bottles for 2 cents apiece you could cull together enough money to go the movies. The floor was sticky and if you could sneak a big pickle from Solari’s next door into the theatre you could smell them too.
The Madison was a small neighborhood theatre on Center St., facing Bickford St. They had the best popcorn. A lady named Mary was the ticket seller, Dutchie Bauer was the “head usher”, but I don’t remember the owner’s name. Apparently they used Sulpha-Napthol to clean the “restrooms” because when one was standing at the popcorn machine the smell permeated the area. The smell of the popcorn was a more pleasant aroma. Wednesday was “Dish Night” where you paid an extra amount, maybe 25-30 cents and got one piece of a set of dishes until you collected a whole set including serving bowls, platters and sugar bowl & creamer; and every now & then someone would drop their dish or whatever piece was given that week. Plus you got to see a double feature, newsreel and previews of coming attractions. Saturday was the day for Westerns, Serials & cartoons. If you were lucky enough to cash in some soda bottles for 2 cents apiece you could cull together enough money to go the movies. The floor was sticky and if you could sneak a big pickle from Solari’s next door into the theatre you could smell them too.