Azalea Theatre
305 Williams Street,
Mobile,
AL
36606
305 Williams Street,
Mobile,
AL
36606
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The Azalea was owned by the King brothers, Charles B. King and John Heustis King. It was designed and built by C.B. King’s son-in-law R.G. Ward, my maternal grandfather. The Kings also owned the Crown Theatre on Dauphin St. and several theaters in Mobile’s African American community (the Booker T., the Pike, the Lincoln and others) as well as theaters in Biloxi, MS. The twin brothers died in the 1940s/50s and Charles King’s eldest son ran the business for awhile, but the family was pretty much out of it by the 1970s. I’m too young to remember the Azalea (it closed in 1956, the year I was born, 4 years after my great-grandfather died), but I remember when it was Skateland very well.
It appears that the antique business has left the building.
A few years ago the lady running the antiques store told me the projection room was still mostly intact. I did not have time to check it out that day, but maybe in the future.
This is where I learned to roller skate along with my sister, brother and many cousins. I remember going to this skating rink about once a month from 1967-1970s-usually on Sunday afternoons after church.
not Congress St. on other side of town. Williams and Grant St. later become Airport Blvd. Was a bowling ally next then a skating rink. It is antique shop now.