B Theatre

The Albuquerque Morning Journal on February 6, 1915, announced the opening of the 800 seat B Theatre by the Barnett Amusement Company, which had been chartered by Joe Barnett in July 1913.

The last time the B’s advertisement appeared in the Journal was April 22, 1924, and the next May 3 it was reported contracts were being let for the remodeling of the theatre into a pool hall.

Mr. Barnetts company, was later renamed Albuquerque Theatres and headed by Barnett and Mario Barchechi. Their 1943 advertisement in the Journal listed the KiMo, Rio, Lobo, Mission, Mesa, Chief, and Sunshine theatres.

In September 1952 The Journal reported Joe Barnett and the Bachechi family had terminated an operating agreement with Texas Consolidated Theatres and the theatres would be operated by their firm, Albuquerque Exhibitors, Inc. In September the firm also acquired the Sandia and El Rey theatres from private parties.

The Albuquerque Tribune in September 1954 in noting the passing of 88-year-old Joseph Barnett said he came to the city in 1889 and had lived there ever since. Not known only for theatres, Mr. Barnett was said to be the largest individual land holder in the city.

In 1974 a Journal obituary on Mario Bachechi reported he and Joe Barnett first partnered with the Pastime Theatre. Their chain at one time or another included 12 theatres plus the Cactus Drive-In and 66 Drive-In.

Humorous now but serious then, in 1933 Mr. Bachechi was fined for exhibiting immoral photographs in front of the Pastime Theatre for the film “A Virgin’s Confession”.

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