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The Loop Theatre

Photo courtesy Julius E. Marx Collection, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama

IN 1941, THE LOOP THEATRE opened on 2050 Government Street. Designed by architect J.T. Knight Jr. and operated by Paramount-Richards, the theatre cost $76,708 to construct at the time. The theatre (pictured below in 1958) was a one-story building designed in a streamline moderne style, a popular architectural look for commercial establishments in the 40s. It sported a distinctive pink exterior with a single screen inside. Young couples sometimes claimed sections — typically the right section in the front of the theatre — for themselves and ushers paced the aisles to ensure patrons behaved. The theatre eventually closed in the mid-70s, and the building has since been demolished. A Walgreens now operates at the location.

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