Alabama Theatre (Houston)

File:AlabamaTheatrewithTraderJoes.jpg]]

As Houston and the rest of the country recovered from the Great Depression, art-deco style theaters of the late 1930s were built in many residential neighborhoods across the city. The 739-seat Alabama Theatre opened on November 2, 1939, screening Man About Town, starring Jack Benny.{{Cite web|title=Alabama Theatre |work=Cinema Houston |accessdate=2009-08-10 |url=http://www.cinemahouston.info/alabama.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230134259/http://www.cinemahouston.info/alabama.htm |archivedate=December 30, 2008 }} The Alabama was Interstate Theater Corporation's tenth theater in the Houston area.

name=cinemahouston/> The showing of the first CinemaScope film made (The Robe) at the first CinemaScope screening in Houston took place at the Alabama Theater.

Competition from multicinemas, television, and videotape reduced Alabama’s attendance and profits. The theater was closed as a movie theater and was renovated as a retail bookstore,{{Cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/news/article/Bookstop-to-close-reopen-at-West-Gray-1750214.php|title=Bookstop to close, reopen at West Gray|first=Robin|last=Foster|date=August 4, 2009|website=Houston Chronicle}} preserving many details such as its murals and balconies while undergoing an exterior and interior renovation designed to preserve the Streamline Moderne architecture of the 1930s.{{Cite web| title = Kaldis Development Interests Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center| accessdate = 2009-08-10| url = http://www.kaldis.com/alabama.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080522091728/http://www.kaldis.com/alabama.html| archive-date = 2008-05-22| url-status = dead}} The theater was reopened as the Alabama Bookstop bookstore in 1984 (later acquired by Barnes & Noble booksellers) and became the retailer's most profitable location.{{Cite web | title = Preservation - A Page of History | work = Houston Chronicle | author = Lisa Gray | date = 2006-08-07

| accessdate = 2009-09-09| url = http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2006_4165803}} Gary Hoover, one founder of Bookstop, stated that his architects set up the building so it could be easily converted back into the theater in case the bookstore closed.Gray, Lisa. "[http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Eight-ways-to-save-Alabama-River-Oaks-theaters-1897998.php Eight ways to save Alabama, River Oaks theaters]." Houston Chronicle. September 10, 2006. Retrieved on April 7, 2014. "Gary Hoover, one of Bookstop's founders, said that when he converted the old theater into a bookstore, his architects allowed for the Alabama's afterlife, aiming for an easy, post-bookstore conversion back to a theater." Laura Nathan-Garner, the author of Insiders' Guide to Houston, wrote that despite the fact that the Bookstop was owned by a chain, the fact it was located in a former theater "has enabled it to retain an independent flair."Nathan-Garner, Laura. Insiders' Guide® to Houston. Globe Pequot, November 10, 2009. {{ISBN|0762758376}}, 9780762758371. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=i2FnBWfAu1cC&pg=PA194 194].

Weingarten Realty purchased the Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center in 2004."[http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/print-edition/2013/04/12/2013-landmark-awards-alabama-shepherd.html 2013 Landmark Awards: Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center (Video)]." Houston Business Journal. September 12, 2013. Retrieved on April 16, 2014. The Alabama Bookstop closed in September, 2009 after 25 years as a bookstore. Weingarten Realty Investors, owner of the theater was interested in saving the historic building as long as the proposals make economic sense for the company. Weingarten considered razing the building and building high-rise development on the site.{{Cite web | title = Firm offers hope for saving Houston landmarks / Weingarten firm offers hope for 'endangered' theater sites | work = Houston Chronicle | author = Lisa Gray | date = 2006-09-01 | accessdate = 2009-08-10 | url = https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Firm-offers-hope-for-saving-Houston-landmarks-1870722.php}} The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance recently placed the Alabama Theater on its endangered buildings list due to the threat of demolition. Additionally, Preservation Texas also listed the theater as one of the state's most endangered places as well as being designated as a historic property by the City of Houston.{{Cite web|title=River Oaks center/Alabama Theater updates |work=Greater Houston Preservation Alliance |accessdate=2009-08-10 |url=http://www.ghpa.org/riveroaks.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417213207/http://www.ghpa.org/riveroaks.html |archivedate=2009-04-17 }}{{Cite web|title=Planning and Development Department, Historic Preservation |work=City of Houston |accessdate=2009-08-10 |url=http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/historic_pres/pending.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706091129/http://www.houstontx.gov/planning/historic_pres/pending.htm |archivedate=July 6, 2008 }}{{Cite web

|title=Most Endangered Places 2007 – Preservation Texas

|accessdate=2009-08-10

|url=http://www.preservationtexas.org/endangered/2007.htm

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820023722/http://preservationtexas.org/endangered/2007.htm

|archivedate=2009-08-20

}}

File:TraderJoe'sAlabamaTheaterHouston.jpg

“We’re here to preserve yet another endangered species,” said Carolyn Farb at a Houston city council meeting, “Let’s not wipe away history with a big eraser.”{{cite news

| title = Fighting the Wrecking Ball to Save Houston Landmarks | work = The New York Times | accessdate = 2009-08-10 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/12/us/12preserve.html

| first=Ralph | last=Blumenthal | date=2006-08-12}}

In 2010 according to some construction documents Weingarten planned to bury the theater's sloped floor under a concrete slab and to remove the wooden floors that had been inserted in the 1983 conversion to a bookstore. Weingarten for now plans to keep the balcony.Bair, Jeff. "[http://blogs.chron.com/newswatch/2010/03/plans_revealed_for_alabama_the.html Plans revealed for Alabama Theater]." Houston Chronicle. March 23, 2010. Retrieved on March 23, 2010. In March 2010 Alamo Drafthouse renewed its talks with Weingarten in regards to a proposal to lease space in the Alabama Theatre.Sarnoff, Nancy. "[http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/03/alamo_drafthouse_talks_with_we.html Alamo Drafthouse: Talks with Weingarten renewed]." Houston Chronicle. March 31, 2010. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.

In September 2011 Trader Joe's stated that it was considering opening its first Greater Houston location in the Alabama Theatre.Sarnoff, Nancy. "[http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/09/update-trader-joes-pursues-historic-building-in-montrose/ UPDATE: Trader Joe’s pursues historic building in Montrose]." Houston Chronicle. September 19, 2011. Retrieved on September 19, 2011. The Texas Historical Commission has informed the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance that Trader Joe's renovation plans for the Alabama Theater would leave the historic terrazzo at the theater’s original entrance intact.{{Cite web|title=What’s next for Houston’s Alabama Theater? |work=Greater Houston Preservation Alliance |accessdate=2011-10-29 |url=http://www.ghpa.org/news/?p=104 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008050246/http://www.ghpa.org/news/?p=104 |archivedate=2011-10-08 }} In September 2011 the City of Houston's Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission approved the proposed exterior changes that the property would make to the Alabama Theatre.Sarnoff, Nancy. "[http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2011/09/city-approves-trader-joes-new-space/ City approves proposed Trader Joe’s space]." Houston Chronicle. September 22, 2011. Retrieved on February 19, 2012. If the municipal commission voted against the changes, the property owner would have been able to make them anyway after waiting 90 days. Throughout the processes of restoration and conversion to grocery store, Trader Joe’s made efforts to preserve and pay homage to the building’s history, such as putting 1000 hours of work into refurbishing the ceiling (featuring a large medallion), rewiring the theater marquee, preserving the balcony and entrance mosaic tile floors (as stated in the renovation plans), creating thematic movie posters (e.g., "Gentlemen Prefer Blonde Ales," "Reservoir Hot Dogs," "Pulpy Fiction”), and displaying a genuine poster of the first movie to screen at the theatre in 1939.

Because of the Trader Joe's lease, the shopping center's occupancy rate became 100%. Due to the restoration, the Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center won the 2013 Landmark Award in Historic Preservation from the Houston Business Journal.

{{Portal|Texas|Film}}

• Historic preservation
• Architecture of Houston

{{Reflist|33em}}

• "[http://blog.chron.com/cityhall/files/legacy/archives/riveroaksbackup.pdf Approval of a resolution designating River Oaks Community Shopping Center and River Oaks Theatre, and Alabama Community Shopping Center and Alabama Theatre as 2 Historic Landmarks]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140417012454/http://blog.chron.com/cityhall/files/legacy/archives/riveroaksbackup.pdf Archive]) City of Houston.

{{Commons category|Alabama Theatre (Houston)}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140416183748/http://www.weingarten.com/retail/property/0552-001/ Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center] – Weingarten Realty
• [http://www.houstondeco.org/1930s/alabama.html Alabama Theater at Houston Deco: Modernistic Architecture of the Texas Coast]
• [http://www.cinemahouston.info/alabama.shtml Theater at Cinema Houston]
• "[http://www.carolynfarb.com/landmarks.html Save these treasured icons]." Carolyn Farb Official Website.

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{{Upper Kirby}}

Category:1939 establishments in Texas

Category:2009 disestablishments in Texas

Category:Theatres completed in 1939

Category:Buildings and structures in Houston

Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Texas

Category:Former cinemas in the United States

Category:History of Houston

Category:Art Deco architecture in Texas

Category:Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters

Category:Streamline Moderne architecture in Texas