This is the Avon Cinema on the East Side of Providence, RI, right near Brown University. The Art Deco styling dates from its opening in 1938, and the theater primarily screens independent, art house, and foreign films. It was cool to walk down Thayer street to get to the restaurant we were eating at, and then to see this classic marquee. So I had to take a picture, of course.
Love the old Theaters. Milford and New Haven are gone.
ReplyDeleteJoan
Great night shot of the old Avon Theater! This post brings back memories of my boarding school days, I have walked up and down Thayer Street countless times. There was a drug store on Thayer Street where my buddies and I would go after school for a small Coke - or maybe two small Cokes. I think I have told you about the experiment we did one afternoon with the guy behind the counter. Back in the late 50's a small Coke cost 5 Cents and a large Coke was 10 Cents. One afternoon, the soda jerk (a common expression in those days), complained about us always buying two small Cokes instead of one large Coke - presumably, because it was more work for him to fill extra glasses. I explained that there was more Coke in two small glasses compared to the large glass. To prove my point, I asked for two small glasses filled with water and one large empty glass: the large glass could not hold all the water from the two smaller glasses. A few days later, the price of a small Coke was increased from 5 to 10 Cents and the "not so large" large Coke was increased from 10 to 15 Cents. True Story! Of all the dumb things I have done in my life, ending the era of the 5 Cent Cokes is at, or very near, the top of the list! But many thanks for your picture today and for the memories on Thayer Street!
ReplyDeletePrimo! I have no memory of your history in Rhode Island! What a great story! That is so funny about how you talked yourself out of nickel Cokes! Nice going! :-)
ReplyDeleteJoan: The theatre is gone? How many times have I driven around the crook, and NOT noticed that it is not there! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI love the story from Ken Schwarz. He was so clever and and it ended up not being to his advantage. Yes, Stonebridge Restaurant is sitting on the property where the Capital Theater was. I must be a year younger :-) because I remember going to Sid's Drug Store in Fort Trumbull for a Cherry Coke for ten cents or going to Howe's in Milford Center with the soda/food counter. How funny is the term "Soda Jerk" that we all used.
ReplyDeleteJoan
Joan, I am three weeks older than your brother. We were watching a movie at my home one evening called "Big Night". Near the end of the movie the two principle characters, who were bothers, used the words Primo (first) for the older brother and Secondo (second) for the younger. That night we were both very pleased to relinquish our previous nicknames (which I have no intention of mentioning ever again). From Big Night on we became Primo and Secondo. Nicknames were needed to help our wives distinguish Ken S. from Ken S. PS: If you have not seen the movie Big Night - I would highly recommend it. It's an American movie but shot as a classically simple but emotional Italian story.
ReplyDeleteLove reading ALL the stories on this entry!! :)...
ReplyDeleteLove Primo's story - big OOOPS!! Had to laugh @ Segundo's not realizing the Capitol theater is gone...I just watched this movie last year. I love Stanley Tucci and it's all about the food!! bsk
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