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.
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.
I would love to attend anything in this venue.Never seen it,never been to Staten Island.What I see from this site is the blood,sweat and tears,not to mention drama,pain and heartbreak that go into this kind of undertaking.Everybody who cares is nice,but those who put their money,however much,their guts and life into bringing,or keeping life into one of these temples of the human spirit are doing God’s work.They deserve more than just our thanks.There’s some folks down on the Fla Gulf coast that are up to their armpits in aliigators with their project.They could use more than just sympathy.
The place is definitely gone.I used to love downtown SLC.It was actually one the the last downtowns to go totally pear shaped.I lived downtown for some many months from Aug,69 to June 70.My wife and I could walk to any number of theaters and great eateries that are all long gone.The Hotel Utah was still one of the world’s greatest.The soon to be gone,if not already, Inn on Temple Square was a sleazy hotel and the bus station.My,but time does march on.I wish all the best to the soulless pratts that think they can save the place.They want a G-rated urban paradise in a R-rated world.It will be tough sledding,or rafting if the spring floods come,as they might again.
This was a great theater,that should have been saved.The only good thing about the multi-plex sitting on the grave of its predecessor is the parking.Sadly,lack of parking contributed to the demise of many old theaters.That’s what I like about the Byrd-great parking.Downtown SLC is trying to save itself with new shopping areas,but nothing can regain the soul that has been cut out by short-sighted greed and lack of class.The list of grand houses that were once in downtown SLC,but were bulldozed,is enough to make a grown man weep.SAVE THE UTAH!!!Poor Jacksonville,Fla.has only ONE left.At least SLC has the chance to have two.But even if the Utah is saved,it probably will never show movies.I would like to see a seperate listing of JUST the old theaters that still show movies,Like the BYRD in Richmond,a REAL movie palace.
This is a fantastic looking theater,from my memories of seeing it about 12 years ago.Is there anyway to get interior shots posted?When possible,please update any way to contribute.I remember a 2nd old theater nearby.What is it’s state?
In the 80’s it was a Safelite Glass store.I was in the bldg quite a few times.The original parts that were left from theater days were the quaint restrooms.A few other little touches were there if you looked hard.The auditorium area was really GUTTED.Trucks could come in the rear entrance.The outside still looked like a theater.
I remember the big hoot during the showing of Final Countdown when the Tomcats splash the Zeros.The cheers and yells were wall-shaking from the mostly military crowd.They were always fun to watch an action flick with,because they were so demonstrative.Now that my tiny sons then are now in Iraq,the memories are especially touching.
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.
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.
I would love to attend anything in this venue.Never seen it,never been to Staten Island.What I see from this site is the blood,sweat and tears,not to mention drama,pain and heartbreak that go into this kind of undertaking.Everybody who cares is nice,but those who put their money,however much,their guts and life into bringing,or keeping life into one of these temples of the human spirit are doing God’s work.They deserve more than just our thanks.There’s some folks down on the Fla Gulf coast that are up to their armpits in aliigators with their project.They could use more than just sympathy.
The place is definitely gone.I used to love downtown SLC.It was actually one the the last downtowns to go totally pear shaped.I lived downtown for some many months from Aug,69 to June 70.My wife and I could walk to any number of theaters and great eateries that are all long gone.The Hotel Utah was still one of the world’s greatest.The soon to be gone,if not already, Inn on Temple Square was a sleazy hotel and the bus station.My,but time does march on.I wish all the best to the soulless pratts that think they can save the place.They want a G-rated urban paradise in a R-rated world.It will be tough sledding,or rafting if the spring floods come,as they might again.
How a theater at this location couldn’t make it is one of life’s mysteries.Now a sporting goods store sitting there nxt.to I-15.
This whole mall is going bye bye in an attempt to rebuild this end of downtown.The LDS church(zion securities)owns the whole enchilada now.
This was a great theater,that should have been saved.The only good thing about the multi-plex sitting on the grave of its predecessor is the parking.Sadly,lack of parking contributed to the demise of many old theaters.That’s what I like about the Byrd-great parking.Downtown SLC is trying to save itself with new shopping areas,but nothing can regain the soul that has been cut out by short-sighted greed and lack of class.The list of grand houses that were once in downtown SLC,but were bulldozed,is enough to make a grown man weep.SAVE THE UTAH!!!Poor Jacksonville,Fla.has only ONE left.At least SLC has the chance to have two.But even if the Utah is saved,it probably will never show movies.I would like to see a seperate listing of JUST the old theaters that still show movies,Like the BYRD in Richmond,a REAL movie palace.
This is a fantastic looking theater,from my memories of seeing it about 12 years ago.Is there anyway to get interior shots posted?When possible,please update any way to contribute.I remember a 2nd old theater nearby.What is it’s state?
In the 80’s it was a Safelite Glass store.I was in the bldg quite a few times.The original parts that were left from theater days were the quaint restrooms.A few other little touches were there if you looked hard.The auditorium area was really GUTTED.Trucks could come in the rear entrance.The outside still looked like a theater.
The “gays"essentially saved two theaters on Lincoln Rd.Maybe they can save the Fabian.Make Paterson the new Miami Beach!
I remember the big hoot during the showing of Final Countdown when the Tomcats splash the Zeros.The cheers and yells were wall-shaking from the mostly military crowd.They were always fun to watch an action flick with,because they were so demonstrative.Now that my tiny sons then are now in Iraq,the memories are especially touching.