The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1926-01-01
KEITH VAUDEVILLEEFOR
EELIZABETH TYHNEXT.
Carolina Bank Group To- Build Modern
Theatre, Eight New Stores and Make
Other improvements .sIgtla

fOVeIneQte 80 ~ -
Elizabeth City gets a, new
and modern theatre with Keith
Vaudeville and high class NOV
ing pictures, eight news stores
and notable improvements to
the lobby entrance of the
Carolina Bank Building as the
result of a deal consummated
this week. -rE& ~
What is known as tina, Hinton
Stables building, back Of the Caro-. +
lima Bank. Building IL 70 gIye WAY
to modern firepr0of theatre 81
feet wide and 116 feet deep right iE
the centre of the block, with an en'
trance OH Main Street thru the pte-
sent entrance to the upstairs. offices
of the Carolina Bank Buildinv:sHith
With the building Of the theatre
the rest of the block occupied by the
one story structure once used a.
livery stable will be occupied By
eight stores, four on slcMorrine
st. and four ON MartintSt.e The
stores will b. % by 65 feet each
To make an entrance for the new
theatre, about $4,000 will be ex.
pended in improvements TO the Ell.
trance and lobby Of the bank build
ing. The one passenger elevator IN
the center Of the lobby will be re-
moved and two elevators Installed
to the left of the entrance, the 'neees-
sary elevator space TO be borrowed
from the Gilbert Store. Both Gil
bcrt's and the bank will get en-!
frances Oh the new and enlarged
lobby.
W. T. Culpeppcr Promoter
The new theatre. the new stores
and other improvements will >cost
more than 100000 aud will be fin.
anced by the Carolina Bapk Bids.
Co.. subsidiary Of the Carolha
Ranking & Trust Go. tit
The promoter otthc theatre cntcr.
prise was w. T.. culpepper who eils
visionod the whole thing and gave
the idea over to the bank people
without cXacting cent In the wdy
of a promotion fee. lie had the
plans for the theatre drawn, IA
lessee for the theatre aud cycrs.
thing but the cash. An article in
this newspaper several weeks ago
revealing Mr.. Culpcppcr's interest
in new theatre for Elizabeth City
gave him new encouragement oiid
aroused interest In his plans. He
got busy and swung the deal with u
minimum Of effort. g..ss-sF-=~:
Keith Vaudeville
The proposed thcatre has been
leased to the Carolinn Theatre Cor
poration with hcadqunrtcrs'at Asbe
vile. y. C., for n term of 40 years
at a rental of $1,000 a month. Thu
Carolina Theatre Corp. operates II
theatres in principal cities ~ ,N0rtiI
and South Carolina. Il. ID. Turner,
president and manager OF The e0fr-
pany was In Elizabeth. City, this
week to arrange for theelense.s lie
says his company shows oUIy Keith
vaudeville acts and high elars
movies. They will show three times
daily. operating continu0hsiy from
3 o'clock =. NJ. daily until ff-PS,M.
The admission fee will bc 80 cents
TO all performances. ,- -
Plans for the thcatre. haye al-
ready been made by Benton & Ben
ton of WilsoI, y. G.. and ACTUAL
work of construction will begin
March /, 1926, to be completed by
Aug. 10th. The first show iu the
new theatre is planned for Labor
Day. ''' ''','t
Will Seat 1.2e&-.I ~
The new theatre will hare a seat
ing capacity Of 1.26i, 500 seats In
the auditorium and 3Sf In the bal
cCny. 1t is planned 10 give the bal
cony over to the cOlored .'peopie.
with n special entrance for colored
patrons thru the twenty foot alley
in the rear Of the Carolina Bunk
Bldg. The alley will be paved.
Tho theatre will be of steel and
coucrctc constructions It &fIl have
a standard stage suited to the show
iug Of any standard New York Pre-
duciiOn. The stage entrances and
stage doors for the hundifhg Of
scenery and properties will be on
Matthews 81. ..r..n- ~
. The plans for the theatre Gull for
lounge rooms and layatoyi0s. for both
men and women on tho mcsZaninc
floor. The seating and lighting Will
be standard. .tbssGGtfSF
Contracts for the construction
Of the theatre and other Improve.
mcnts will he let ut an early date.