03/17/2026
๐ Happy 106th Birthday to the Colonial Fox Theatre! ๐ The opening day for this historic gem was St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1920.
-- Pittsburg Daily Headlight, Tues., March 9, 1920 --
"Colonial Theatre is to be Opened Next Week; March 17 the Date set for Throwing Open the Doors. New Playhouse Which has Cost $80,000, Wil1 seat 1,200 Persons--Arranged to be Cool in Summer
"The Colonial, The Pittsburg Amusement Company's $80,000 theatre, wi11 open March 17. 'Everywoman, ' an 8-reel feature film wil1 be the opening attraction. A special score for the picture will be played by the orchestra. Two high class vaudeville acts will he presented in addition to the film attraction. A. Messenger, the contractor, is pushing the finishing touches on the new playhouse and will have everything ready in advance of the opening date. The Colonial theatre is constructed along the same lines as the Isis in Kansas City. It has a seating capacity of 1,200. It has no balcony, the floor being sloped from the last now of seats down to the stage. The stage has the width and depth and all the equipment for handling road shows so its bid to the theatre going public will not be confined to the movies and vaudevilles.
"To Keep Cool in Summer: Large domes in the ceiling are removable and big fans in these apertures will keep the interior cool in the summer. An attractive indirect lighting system is used. The theatre is effectively decorated in white and blue tones. The scenery and curtains, which are being painted in the theatre are nearing completion. The general plan of the theatre will be offering big feature films and two vaudeville acts, the Interstate agencyโs booking used. The new theatre building houses five business enterprises. W. H. Kelley has leased the basement store and will occupy it with a barbershop and pool hall. There will be four tables and three barber chairs. The floor will be of white tile and the walls will be tiled to a height of eight feet. Furnishings will be of walnut, the equipment of his present barbershop in the room it now occupies in the Commerce building but will not have the shop operated.
"Four Shops on Street: Fronting on the street will be four shops. In one of these W. H. Seleman has his โSmoke Shop,โ and attractively arranged tobacconistโs store. In another the Kitchenette, owned by O. M. Richmond will offer lunches to the theatre goers and others. The Consumers Coffee Company, M. L. Probst proprietor, will do a wholesale and retail coffee and peanut roasting business. Complete electrical electricity will be used for all the roasting. A shoe shining parlor stand will occupy the fourth room."
