There was a bustle of people in downtown Bryan tonight -- perhaps because Kinky Frideman was on- stage around the corner.  The Queen Theater was lit in her glory - highlight by the street lamps on Main Street.  It was quite a different building when I was last at TX A&M in 2011.

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The Queen Theatre's  neon lights, sign, marquee and 200 pound crown have been restored to their full glory. It was first lit up in 1939. The Queen Theatre underwent a $160,000 renovation to the exterior, got a new roof, and asbestos abatement on the inside. It is now an event venue.

Queen Theater
Bryan, Texas

 



 john wayne at the bijou

 

While waiting for their appointments at the Bijou Salon, patrons sit in theater seats and watch old black-and-white movies.  Bijou was a popular name for movie theaters and the Bijou Salon started out in the rear of the old Midway Theater on Broadway.  They kept the name and motif in the move to Buddy Holly Avenue, in the heart of the Depot District. 

 

Bijou Salon

1810 Buddy Holly Avenue

Lubbock, Texas

no matinee today

The sign on the Lyric Theater appears to have regained its glow -- thanks to photoshop magic -- but the only life there is the pigeon perched atop it. Cinema Treasures had this to say:  The  “Lyric Theatre” in Carrizozo was built in 1916 as an Opera House; in 1918 the name changed to "Crystal Theatre”and began to show silent movies. When sound movies came along, it reopened with sound on June 13th,1931 and re-named “Lyric Theatre”.  It remained open until 1979 when it closed due to some rating dispute over the Exorcist .  I don't know about demons but the place surely has ghosts!

Lyric Theatre
Carrizozo, New Mexico
8.4.2015