3 minute read
LYRIC THEATER, LYRIC ICE CREAM PARLOR, BIG TIME PIZZA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY HENDERSON
EAST SOUTH MAIN A Perfect Trio
THE LYRIC THEATER ADDS TO THE EXPERIENCE WITH AN ICE CREAM PARLOR AND BRICK OVEN PIZZA
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE BANSE STOKES
I
t wasn’t very long ago that every small, central Texas town had an old theater downtown. Locals would anxiously wait for the new release movies to make it to their town and then pack the seats on Friday nights, their laps full of heavily buttered popcorn and boxes of Milk Duds. Today, rising costs have forced nearly all to close and either become a dilapidated ghost of what they once were, or worse, be remodeled into something entirely new, forgetting the old theater’s former glory.
Fortunately for Flatonia’s old theater, it is being lovingly preserved by John Knotts and his wife, Terry Ehler Knotts. Today, The Lyric Theater allows patrons to step off the street and back in time with classic movies and old-fashioned favorites. Originally known as the Foster Building when it was built in 1879, the name changed The Happy Hour Theatre in 1913 and later to The Lyric Theatre in 1930. It received a complete makeover in the 1950s. “My wife, Terry, runs The Lyric,” said John. “That’s kind of her baby. We show classic movies, not brand-new release mov-
Left, Big Time Pizza offers brick oven ies. Terry is progressing from a history standpoint pizza in dowtown Flatonia; middle, because going to the theater is an old school way of moviegoers will enjoy classic movies experiencing movies. Hollywood wants mom-andat Lyric Theater; right, Lyric Ice Cream Parlor is a favorite stop next door to the theatre. pop movies to go away because they can’t make any money off of us. We want to project the idea of a theater as a classic film, historic place.” Soon after The Lyric Theater began showing classic movies, the Knotts added to the experience by opening an ice cream parlor next door. FLATONIA, TEXAS | 24
“When we bought the whole building, it included the room where the ice cream parlor is now,” shared John. “The theater doesn’t bring in much revenue, so we needed to do something to not only make money but also be a draw for the public and an asset to the community. So, we created the ice cream and pizza side to fund the whole project.”
Lyric Ice Cream Parlor is run by their manager, Sarah Wagner. An ice cream lover’s dream, customers swoon over the handmade waffle cones topped with Blue Bell ice cream and toppings of their choice that run the gamut from coconut and chopped nuts, to gummy worms and rainbow sprinkles.
Although he’s a professional mural artist with a degree from Sam Houston University, John always had a passion for food and cooking. The Knotts newest addition, Big Time Pizza, allows him to share his talents with others. “We’re sticking to the basics right now,” said John. “We have seven varieties of pizza. If you’re in the mood for something different, you may want to try our Flammkuchen (pronounced flam-KOOK-en), a pizza variety that comes from South Germany. Instead of using tomato sauce, it uses a cream-type sauce that we make from Greek yogurt and heavy whipping cream, we add onions and bacon bits. It’s more like a lunch or breakfast pizza, or an hors d’oeuvre, but common in that part of Germany. Since we are a German-area here in Flatonia, it’s something we wanted to try.”
The Lyric Theater, Lyric Ice Cream Parlor and Big Time Pizza are located in downtown Flatonia on East South Main Street and online at www.lyrictheatre.com.
Top, a it’s hard to resist grabbing a slice of Big Time Pizza, fresh from the brick oven; middle left, a man tickles the ivories on the piano at Lyric Theater; middle center, a young patron pulls up on his steed for a ice cream cone at Lyric Ice Cream Parlor; above, Lyric Theater showcases classic movies.
