This news article will explain some history behind the historic theater venue called The Showboat Theater in Freeport, Texas. Only so much is known about Showboat Theater.
Construction of Showboat Theater began in 1940. The theater venue was a 3-story tall Art Deco style building structure with minimal decorations. The theater had a luxurious feeling and atmosphere. A ticket booth was located at the front of West 2nd Street. A marquee sign loomed over the ticket booth. M. N. Bussey was the sole proprietor of Showboat Theater, Freeport Theater, and East Park Avenue Theater. He managed all 3 theater venues. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/11873601/)
Showboat Theater was open at night until 9 PM during every single day of the week. Many of Freeport’s theaters operated on this schedule. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/6436361/)
The stage was located in the very bacon brick pilasters and wood trusses. Curtains were held up and supported by wood trusses. Steel beams in walls were securely erected into concrete flooring. The entire building used concrete flooring. A fire escape was on the western portion of the building. Showboat Theater received air conditioning on March 1, 1943. (Ref: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4034fm.g4034fm_g085341943/?sp=3&r=0.413,0.792,0.366,0.213,0)
The commercial shift from Freeport to Lake Jackson is what led to the decline of Showboat Theater which is why Showboat Theater closed in 1970. People living in the Brazosport area went to movie theaters in Lake Jackson as that city had more amenities than Freeport. Showboat Theater was abandoned in 1973.
Donna Cast moved her salon called Making Waves into a historic building that was once Showboat Theater in 1998. She was the first occupant in 25 years to occupy the building. Many of her clients generously appreciated what she has done to revitalize the old building to life again. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/14533766/)
[When customers come into Making Waves hair salon, it's often more for the atmosphere than anything else. "It's not a business as much as a friendship," said Donna Cast, who runs the salon. "We have a certain number of people who come in weekly." Cast said nothing can stop some of her clients, who even call her in inclement weather and beg her to open. "They're not going to miss their day," Cast said.
[So predictable are they that Cast expects them and worries about the older customers when they don't show up. "One woman didn't show up, and we went to her apartment," Cast said. "She had fallen two days before." Most of her customers are between 65 and 90, though Cast gets plenty of younger women as well. Making Waves is on 2nd Street, in a historic building that was once the Showboat Theater. When Cast moved in, she was the first occupant in 25 years. Many of her clients appreciate what she has done to bring the old building to life again. Some of them remember the theater well. "We have people come in here and they'll say, 'Oh. I used to work here, and I made $11 a week,'" Cast said. "They tell me they could eat all the popcorn they wanted as long as they didn't use a bag. If they used a bag, they had to pay for it."
One of the clients who frequents the salon is Norma Jean Banks of Freeport. She remembers the building very well. "We went to see Jailhouse Rock with Elvis Presley there," Banks said. Banks said she loves to go to the salon now, where the workers are all "like family." "You go in some stores and they don't even know you're alive," she said. "They say, 'shop at home' but they don't treat you well." Making Waves is different. Banks said. When she's feeling down, she just goes to the salon and in a few minutes, she says, she's laughing. The business employs two cosmetologists, a barber, a nail technician and a massage therapist. In addition, Cast said her husband helps out, too, when repair work needs to be done.]
A jewelry store called Lee's Credit Jewelers moved into the 3-story tall Art Deco style building in 2008 after a devastating fire destroyed their original building around the corner. Showboat Theater was demolished in 2013. All that is left are the ramps and concrete foundations.
Showboat Theater was located at 219 West 2nd Street, Freeport, Texas, US 77541.
I remember seeing
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