Lyric Theatre

The Nickeldom Theatre launched on the west side of the Chillicothe Square on March 22, 1907. Ladies got reserved seats at the nickelodeon for five cents. Everyone else got general admission seats for five cents. Local liveryman L.Carlton saw the future, both in moving pictures by opening here and by buying a motor car. It was in the era of the show-store era in which retail stores were hastily transformed into nickelodeon theatres.

Carlton started a second theatre but returned to the Nickeldom Theatre changing its name on December 15, 1908 to the Lyric Theatre. The electric sign was an early one to the Square and reportedly “could be seen for blocks.” The name change made it easy to change the admission from a nickel to a dime - which is what happened.

The Lyric Theatre was advertised as the Lyric Electric Theatre in 1909. It moved to the South Side to become less nickelodeon and closer to a theatre as the New Lyric Theatre from December 1909 to December 1911. A bowling alley took over at the former location.

Competition from the superior Star Theatre opening September 6, 1911 put a dent in the Lyric’s business. And the Luella’s refresh to the Majestic Theatre on March 11, 1912 was likely the finishing blow. The Lyric Theatre closed permanently less than a year later on January 30, 1913. It was replaced by some fairly high-profile businesses. They included Clarence and Ed J. Saale’s Pool and Billiards Hall, Marvin England’s England Grocery, Crane Auto Supply, and, lastly, Miller Pharmacy.

In 1961, Citizens National Bank booted the Miller Pharmacy a door or two away and had the building razed.

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