Empress Theatre
11 S. Pearl Street,
Paola,
KS
66071
11 S. Pearl Street,
Paola,
KS
66071
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Originally built between 1884 and 1891 as a dry goods store, this two story brick storefront was converted in 1916 to create a dedicated movie theatre for Fred Smith’s operation named New Empress Theatre, moving it from the Mallory Opera House/Empress Theatre.
Although fitted out as a cinema, there was a stage. The Empress Theatre appears to have closed in 1946 or 1947.
The building is in good shape today, and houses an insurance agency.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This house might have opened in 1916 rather than 1915. The February 19, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World noted the opening: “Paola. Kan.—The New Empress is the name of a moving picture theater opened here by F. C. Smith.” The New Empress still might have opened in late 1915, though, as trade journals were sometimes slow in getting such information published.
The map is from 1916, so you may well be right. I got my information from one of the other listings, which I felt misidentified the Empress.