The building was built in 1889, and opened in 1894 as the south’s first YMCA. It also contained 2 large retail spaces. It served that purpose until about 1915. Over the years the retail spaces functioned as a bank, offices, meat market, grocer, plumbing store, music store, department store, ice house, and morgue. In 1910, the Elite Theatre opened on the full ground floor, and the Majestic Hotel occupied the second and third. In 1926 the building was purchased by Masonic Temple Associated of Athens. In 1936 Publix subsidiary Lucas and Jenkins purchased the building and converted it into the Georgia Theatre, opening in September with a colored balcony. In the 1960s it also served as home to the Athens First United Methodist Church. In 1969 the Classic Theatre was built behind it. In October 1975 it showed its last film, “Brotherhood of Death”. It reopened as a dedicated music hall January 11, 1978 with the band Sea Level. It closed in 1980, then reopened March 11, 1981, closing again shortly thereafter. It next reopened April 9, 1982 as the Carafe & Draft, first under the Georgia Theatre Company and later under UA. In 1989 UA closed it and it reopened October 2, 1989 with seminal Athens band Pylon. The operations, incidentally, were headed by the people who ran the Uptown Lounge, itself housed in the former Paris Adult Theatre. In 2004 it was sold to Wilmot Greene and Randy Smith, who spnt the next 5 years on a renovation project that was just wrapping up when the fire hit.
According to older articles about its history, the Georgia Theatre’s foundation dates to 1890, and was completed in 1894. It served as a YMCA until 1915, complete with an iron swimming pool in the basement. It then served uses from a morgue to a department store before being converted into a theatre in 1935. It began operating as a music venue starting in 1978. The B-52s personally sold all tickets for their first show there in order to get permission to play, due to the owner’s hesitance. A few years later, it began showing film again as the Carafe and Draft, and after 1984 it became exclusively a music venue, with performers such as Jane’s Addiction, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wynton Marsalis, The Ramones, Phish, and Dave Matthews Band, some while they were still unknowns.
Search for “346 Club” and “One Love”, those are its previous two nightclub incarnations. Rivest’s site has a few other Athens theatres I was unaware of that are also unlisted here.
I just submitted a story to the blog about it. I wonder if the underutilized Ritz (http://www.theritzathens.com/history.htm) will take its place. There is no CT entry for the Ritz… LM, think you could do one?
The building was built in 1889, and opened in 1894 as the south’s first YMCA. It also contained 2 large retail spaces. It served that purpose until about 1915. Over the years the retail spaces functioned as a bank, offices, meat market, grocer, plumbing store, music store, department store, ice house, and morgue. In 1910, the Elite Theatre opened on the full ground floor, and the Majestic Hotel occupied the second and third. In 1926 the building was purchased by Masonic Temple Associated of Athens. In 1936 Publix subsidiary Lucas and Jenkins purchased the building and converted it into the Georgia Theatre, opening in September with a colored balcony. In the 1960s it also served as home to the Athens First United Methodist Church. In 1969 the Classic Theatre was built behind it. In October 1975 it showed its last film, “Brotherhood of Death”. It reopened as a dedicated music hall January 11, 1978 with the band Sea Level. It closed in 1980, then reopened March 11, 1981, closing again shortly thereafter. It next reopened April 9, 1982 as the Carafe & Draft, first under the Georgia Theatre Company and later under UA. In 1989 UA closed it and it reopened October 2, 1989 with seminal Athens band Pylon. The operations, incidentally, were headed by the people who ran the Uptown Lounge, itself housed in the former Paris Adult Theatre. In 2004 it was sold to Wilmot Greene and Randy Smith, who spnt the next 5 years on a renovation project that was just wrapping up when the fire hit.
The Palace opened in February 1921, was split in 1971, sold to Plitt in 1977, and closed in May 1987.
Their website will be http://thenew400.com/ but it is not yet up.
4 million, wow
View link
According to older articles about its history, the Georgia Theatre’s foundation dates to 1890, and was completed in 1894. It served as a YMCA until 1915, complete with an iron swimming pool in the basement. It then served uses from a morgue to a department store before being converted into a theatre in 1935. It began operating as a music venue starting in 1978. The B-52s personally sold all tickets for their first show there in order to get permission to play, due to the owner’s hesitance. A few years later, it began showing film again as the Carafe and Draft, and after 1984 it became exclusively a music venue, with performers such as Jane’s Addiction, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wynton Marsalis, The Ramones, Phish, and Dave Matthews Band, some while they were still unknowns.
View link This is a rather good source, too
Search for “346 Club” and “One Love”, those are its previous two nightclub incarnations. Rivest’s site has a few other Athens theatres I was unaware of that are also unlisted here.
I just submitted a story to the blog about it. I wonder if the underutilized Ritz (http://www.theritzathens.com/history.htm) will take its place. There is no CT entry for the Ritz… LM, think you could do one?
A fire of undetermined origins hit the Georgia Theatre early this morning. It appears to be gutted. A very sad day for a historic music venue.
Esquire Theater May Be In Foreclosure
That one is very interesting, especially compared to the 1944 one I posted earlier: View link
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View link – Better copy of 1970 photo
View link – 1975 Night
View link – 1975 Night
View link – 1975 Night
View link – 1975 Night
1986 photo
Wow, great discovery
News round-up:
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Back to the Stooges, it’s worth noting that they evidently formed at Rainbo Gardens in Chicago
http://tinyurl.com/cwk5fz – Photos of the Oak being demolished
http://i44.tinypic.com/24e2wy1.jpg