Instant Nostalgia by Simply Entering the Theatre - Time Out #493

 I sincerely hope you experienced a nice Valentine's Day yesterday, and also enjoy this long Presidents' Day weekend, if you are scheduled off for Monday's national holiday.  

      But first, a tip of my hat to the historical preservationists in Our Town. Specifically, kudos to the owners of the Furniture Showcase, located at the northwest corner of 5th Avenue and Main Street.  

      Instead of completely changing our iconic Leachman Theatre (Opened June 22, 1948), and replacing the grand old structure with a new building, the owners only slightly altered its large interior. With just minor inside changes, they are able to display their large inventory of nice furniture to the public. In my opinion, the "bones" of the former theatre remain firmly in place, appreciated by many former theatre patrons, including me!   

     Recently, my bride of 43-plus years, Lady Deborah, and I made a return visit to Furniture Showcase, that included a new love seat purchased for our home. We were inside their spacious furniture gallery for several hours, and the stroll down memory lane for yours truly was almost magical in my mind's eye. As I walked into the main arena, I reflected the many times over my youthful years of the 1950's and 60's in Our Town, I briefly escaped the real outside world, and entered the movie realm of the wonderful films. Also, if my viewing happened to be during a typical hot summer day, I would quickly be cooled off inside the Leachman, thanks to the "refrigerated air" as it was skillfully named. The cold air was certainly delightful to this young boy, way back then, when indoor air conditioning was not necessarily a given luxury.  

     I was definitely a movie hound during my youth.  I liked them all; westerns, mysteries, historical flicks, comedies, horror shows, etc. You name a movie subject, and, most likely, I paid my dime, quarter, or half dollar at the outside corner ticket booth (still there today!) to gain admission to the inside atmosphere, definitely a mood changer.  

     The other fun activity was deciding which location to sit in their large, comfortable chairs. My choices were several. I could pick the downstairs main floor area, and position myself in the front, middle, or back of the expansive seating options. And, I could sit on the left, center, or righthand sides? At this floor level with the house lights turned on, I could appreciate the large sidewall murals. Or, I could climb the carpeted staircase, and choose to sit in the comfortable balcony? Rarely, I might sneak into the theatre's unique "Cry Room" where parents took their youngsters, if the wee ones were too noisy for the main auditorium. I also need to mention the huge velvet drapes that would mechanically separate on the large front stage when each movie session would begin.   

     I would be remiss if I failed to discuss the big concession stand in the lobby area, complete with theatre-size boxes of delicious candy, wax paper cups of fountain drinks, and, of course, various sizes of fresh, hot popcorn, either buttered or plain with salt added. If I paid to see a frequent double-feature, I would have to ration my limited money supply, so I would be able to enjoy a treat to eat/drink during each film.  

     I had such a delightful experience recently inside Furniture Showcase. I have found myself looking around our home to see if there is any more furniture we need to purchase? If so, I know where I am hoping my bride takes me in Our Town. You guessed it; the old Leachman Theatre, folks! Happy shopping, everyone,