Lenox Theatre

706 Church Street,
Norfolk, VA 23504

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Additional Info

Nearby Theaters

Don 'Red' Barry and Bress Family

This was an African American theatre. I think it opened about 1940 and closed in the late-1950’s.

Contributed by Bob Jensen

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

flightmatron
flightmatron on February 3, 2012 at 11:45 pm

I was born and raised in Norfolk. My father managed the Lenox Theater circa 1943-44. There were six African-American theaters on Church street, within four block of each other. Booker T. (now Attucks) 1008 Church St, Gem 815 Church St(also know as the Rio), Regal 830 Church St., Carver, Dunbar 660 Church St. and Lenox 706 Church. St. My father also managed the Regal and Carver Theaters in the late 50s. I left Norfolk in 1960, and the Regal and Carver were still open for business, but the Lenox had closed. We had a photo of my father standing in the lobby of the Lenox, but unfortunately, I don’t know who has it now.

themovielady
themovielady on September 21, 2012 at 7:32 pm

I just purchased some old theatre seats in a garage sale and was told they were from an old theatre on Church Street. They might be from the Attucks because they are Art Nouveau and I think the Attucks was the oldest theatre on Church Street. Would you have any photos of the theatres your father managed?

Formertechrep
Formertechrep on November 4, 2012 at 9:57 pm

I too grew up in Norfolk. I remember going to the Regal, Lenox, Carver, & Dunbar during the 60’s. The Regal was the most popular. We enjoyed all of the black exploitation movies at these establishments. My grandmother owned & operated a beauty school at 1059 Church Street during those days.

titustown
titustown on January 28, 2016 at 4:14 am

I grew up in Norfolk in the 70’s. Me, my brother, and cousin used to go to three different African American movie theaters on Church Street. In the 70’s the movies on Church street that were open for business included Dunbar, Regal, and Lenox. We often stayed at my grandmother’s place in Young Park. Young Park was a neighborhood that was a 3 minute walk from Church street. The first movie I ever saw in any theater anywhere was Three the Hard Way. That was a black exploitation movie. I also was first introduced to Bruce Lee movies and other kung fu movies at these three church street movies.

msbooth
msbooth on May 31, 2016 at 11:25 pm

when enter the dragon was playing at the lenox, I was working at the carver. msbooth

ide
ide on June 24, 2016 at 12:01 pm

I grow up a block from Church Street. Use to go to the movie often. After I graduate from High School, I got a job at the Dunbar and then the Lenox theaters. I worked from 1960 to 1965. I think the Theaters closed in the early 70’s. The names of the movies on Church Street were: Lenox, Dunbar, Booker T., Regal, Rio, and Carver, (all these movies were owned by the Bress Brothers) I helped out at all the theaters but my main theaters were the Dunbar and Lenox.

SethG
SethG on June 14, 2022 at 7:57 pm

Demolished. Ugly modern buildings and parking lots on that side of the block.

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