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The '''Florida Theatre''' was a movie theater located at [[186 North Palafox Street|186 North]] [[Palafox Street]] in [[downtown Pensacola]]. | The '''Florida Theatre''' was a movie theater located at [[186 North Palafox Street|186 North]] [[Palafox Street]] in [[downtown Pensacola]]. | ||
| − | The theater opened | + | The theater was opened by the Pryor circuit in the early 1940s. According to the trade publication ''Boxoffice'': |
<blockquote>As we pilot our Plymouth into Pensacola, getting into Saenger territory, again the theatre-building tocsin is ringing. It is definitely understood, and newspaper announcements have been made to the effect that the Pryor interests of Virginia, through [[Chester Hester]], will shortly begin construction on The Florida, a house to seat 600, on the main thoroughfare, [[Palafox|Palofax]] [sic], on a site now occupied by the [[Nobles Building]]. It is understood that tenants have been served notice to vacate. | <blockquote>As we pilot our Plymouth into Pensacola, getting into Saenger territory, again the theatre-building tocsin is ringing. It is definitely understood, and newspaper announcements have been made to the effect that the Pryor interests of Virginia, through [[Chester Hester]], will shortly begin construction on The Florida, a house to seat 600, on the main thoroughfare, [[Palafox|Palofax]] [sic], on a site now occupied by the [[Nobles Building]]. It is understood that tenants have been served notice to vacate. | ||
There is no pronounced boom in Pensacola, so to speak, but the town looks better than on the occasion of our last visit some half dozen years ago. The Pensacola Naval Air Station—the Annapolis of the Air—as it is called, is doing much to stimulate matters hereabouts, in which the motion picture business certainly will get its share.<ref name="boxoffice1938">"Palofax St. Gets New Pictorium." ''Boxoffice'', March 8, 1941.</ref></blockquote> | There is no pronounced boom in Pensacola, so to speak, but the town looks better than on the occasion of our last visit some half dozen years ago. The Pensacola Naval Air Station—the Annapolis of the Air—as it is called, is doing much to stimulate matters hereabouts, in which the motion picture business certainly will get its share.<ref name="boxoffice1938">"Palofax St. Gets New Pictorium." ''Boxoffice'', March 8, 1941.</ref></blockquote> | ||
| − | Only a short while after it opened, the Florida was gutted by fire in [[1944]], causing $60,000 worth of damage to the [[Nobles Building]]. The owners held insurance on both equipment and occupancy, however, and were able to rebuild "a larger and better" theater with increased seating capacity.<ref>"Plan New Florida Theatre Following $60,000 Blaze." ''Boxoffice'', November 4, 1944.</ref> The [[Pensacola City Council]] passed an ordinance permitting more seats to be installed in a theater of its size, but then repealed it a few weeks later.<ref>"Code Change to Assist Small House Repealed." ''Boxoffice'', March 10, 1945.</ref> | + | Only a short while after it opened, the Florida was gutted by fire in [[1944]], causing $60,000 worth of damage to the [[Nobles Building]]. The owners held insurance on both equipment and occupancy, however, and were able to rebuild "a larger and better" theater with increased seating capacity.<ref>"Plan New Florida Theatre Following $60,000 Blaze." ''Boxoffice'', November 4, 1944.</ref> The [[Pensacola City Council]] passed an ordinance permitting more seats to be installed in a theater of its size, but then repealed it a few weeks later.<ref>"Code Change to Assist Small House Repealed." ''Boxoffice'', March 10, 1945.</ref> |
| − | + | The theater was operated by [[Giddens & Rester]] since around 1960<ref name="7theatres">"Fall Construction of 7 Theatres Blueprinted by Giddens & Rester." ''Boxoffice'', September 20, 1971.</ref> under manager [[Francis Boucher]].<ref>"Southern Showmen Go Nautical On 'Boatniks.'" ''Boxoffice'', August 24, 1970.</ref> Boucher arranged extravagant promotions for many of the movies; for a 1965 showing of ''Shenandoah'', actor [[Wikipedia:Phillip Alford|Phillip Alford]] was brought to the city, taken by military escort to a television station for a live interview, and paraded through town with six convertibles full of Naval cadets and "Shenandoah Belles."<ref>"'Shenandoah' Bally Steps Off Record Run." ''Boxoffice'', October 11, 1965.</ref> | |
| − | The | + | The theatre received new curtains and drapes in 1961<ref>"New Mobile Theatre for Giddens & Rester." ''Boxoffice'', November 11, 1963.</ref> and was heavily refurbished in 1966 and 1971.<ref name="7theatres"/> |
| − | + | After its closure as a movie theater in {{date needed}}, the [[Pensacola Little Theatre]] renovated the building and used it between [[1977]] and [[1996]]. It was converted to retail space and most recently occupied by [[Milmo Fine Furnishings]], but is vacant [[as of 2008]]. | |
| − | |||
| − | After its closure as a movie theater, the [[Pensacola Little Theatre]] renovated the building and used it between [[1977]] and [[1996]]. It was converted to retail space and most recently occupied by [[Milmo Fine Furnishings]], but is vacant [[as of | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
