Princess Theatre
Blytheville,
AR
72315
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Advertised as “Princess Theatre For Colored”. Shibley’s name is on the façade, so possibly later converted to a cotton or grain store.
Contributed by
David Zornig
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
If this was in Blytheville, it must have been demolished long ago. Maybe on W Ash? Not sure what the Shibley’s non-sequitur is in reference to. There’s no business by that name in town.
A.G. Shibley was a wholesale grocer at one time in Blytheville, with a house brand of flour. Below is a vintage matchbook on eBay. There are other references as well as obituaries within Google. When I have time I will try and track down some store addresses. But a street view search starting on Ash Street and roaming around did not have any buildings match up.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/233738418835
Added the matchbook images for reference, for when the link goes dead.
No, that’s not it. The neighboring buildings don’t match at all, and there’s a street just past the theater in the picture, which obviously isn’t there. The building at 104 bears no resemblance at all to the one in the picture. There are 4 windows on the second floor, not two, etc.
I would have expected to be able to find the building just past the theater, with the distinctive angled entry. Couldn’t find anything like it on the 1921 map. Ash St has lost maybe 80% of the buildings, but it seems the most likely.
I have reached out to the Delta Gateway Museum in Blytheville to get an exact address for the Princess Theatre.
My message to the Blytheville Recreation Center has not netted anything yet.
Delta Gateway Museum got back and they said they believe it was on Ash Street between 4th & 5th Streets. They are going to check their Sanborn maps. I am removing the recreation center comment.
Confirmed 3/24/22 via Delta Gateway Museum:
“I’ve learned from a local resident that this photo is, in fact, the actual Princess Theater building (which was later Shibley’s). Just FYI.”