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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.
299:, 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. 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.
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213:
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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, preserving many details such as its murals and balconies while undergoing an exterior and interior renovation designed
341:
at the theater’s original entrance intact. 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. If the municipal commission voted against the changes, the property owner
317:
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. In March 2010
631:. 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."
345:
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
280:, 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. Laura Nathan-Garner, the author of
939:
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
1150:
284:, 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."
236:
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
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988:
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622:
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has informed the
Greater Houston Preservation Alliance that Trader Joe's renovation plans for the Alabama Theater would leave the historic
746:
673:
1120:
865:
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514:
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purchased the
Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center in 2004. The Alabama Bookstop closed in September, 2009 after 25 years as a bookstore.
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246:. The Alabama was Interstate Theater Corporation's tenth theater in the Houston area. The showing of the first
884:
694:"Firm offers hope for saving Houston landmarks / Weingarten firm offers hope for 'endangered' theater sites"
396:
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532:
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to preserve the
Streamline Moderne architecture of the 1930s. The theater was reopened as the Alabama
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renewed its talks with Weingarten in regards to a proposal to lease space in the Alabama Theatre.
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grocery store. It is one of the buildings of the Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center, owned by
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217:
197:
107:
801:
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Weingarten Purchase, Concerns over Historic Preservation, and Conversion to Trader Joe's
779:
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at a Houston city council meeting, “Let’s not wipe away history with a big eraser.”
979:
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256:) at the first CinemaScope screening in Houston took place at the Alabama Theater.
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Alabama Theater at Houston Deco: Modernistic Architecture of the Texas Coast
457:
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engagements through most of its history. Today, the theater is home to a
185:
84:
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located at the intersection of Alabama Street and Shepherd Drive in the
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booksellers) and became the retailer's most profitable location.
1021:
573:"Kaldis Development Interests Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center"
1017:
674:
2013 Landmark Awards: Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center (Video)
310:“We’re here to preserve yet another endangered species,” said
747:"Planning and Development Department, Historic Preservation"
515:"Trader Joe's to open Friday in the former Alabama Theater"
192:
styles as a suburban theater, the Alabama primarily booked
866:
UPDATE: Trader Joe’s pursues historic building in Montrose
228:
As Houston and the rest of the country recovered from the
156:
874:. September 19, 2011. Retrieved on September 19, 2011.
802:"Fighting the Wrecking Ball to Save Houston Landmarks"
925:. September 22, 2011. Retrieved on February 19, 2012.
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126:
118:
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103:
95:
80:
72:
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44:
776:"Most Endangered Places 2007 – Preservation Texas"
682:. September 12, 2013. Retrieved on April 16, 2014.
476:
474:
911:
909:
329:stated that it was considering opening its first
847:Alamo Drafthouse: Talks with Weingarten renewed
623:Eight ways to save Alabama, River Oaks theaters
444:
442:
440:
438:
436:
836:. March 23, 2010. Retrieved on March 23, 2010.
1033:
855:. March 31, 2010. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.
8:
885:"What's next for Houston's Alabama Theater?"
26:
718:"River Oaks center/Alabama Theater updates"
1040:
1026:
1018:
25:
917:City approves proposed Trader Joe’s space
1151:Streamline Moderne architecture in Texas
555:"Bookstop to close, reopen at West Gray"
407:
1085:River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics
668:
666:
417:"Gray: The most hated shopping center"
889:Greater Houston Preservation Alliance
722:Greater Houston Preservation Alliance
482:"The Alabama and River Oaks Theatres"
333:location in the Alabama Theatre. The
7:
508:
506:
16:Historic movie theater in Texas, USA
1146:Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters
1131:Cinemas and movie theaters in Texas
1126:Buildings and structures in Houston
486:Save Our Houston Historic Landmarks
828:Plans revealed for Alabama Theater
599:"Preservation - A Page of History"
14:
956:Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center
800:Blumenthal, Ralph (2006-08-12).
553:Foster, Robin (August 4, 2009).
533:Alabama Shepherd Shopping Center
376:
362:
32:
21:Alabama Theatre (disambiguation)
1116:2009 disestablishments in Texas
1141:Art Deco architecture in Texas
543:. Retrieved on April 16, 2014.
260:Renovation to Alabama Bookstop
184:. Constructed in 1939, in the
1:
224:Beginnings as Alabama Theatre
1111:1939 establishments in Texas
306:Interior of the Trader Joe's
642:Insiders' Guide® to Houston
513:David Kaplan (2012-09-18).
335:Texas Historical Commission
297:Weingarten Realty Investors
272:in 1984 (later acquired by
1167:
1121:Theatres completed in 1939
976:Save these treasured icons
282:Insiders' Guide to Houston
18:
970:Theater at Cinema Houston
216:The Alabama Theatre as a
155:
40:
31:
692:Lisa Gray (2006-09-01).
679:Houston Business Journal
597:Lisa Gray (2006-08-07).
415:Lisa Gray (2009-08-06).
349:Houston Business Journal
76:City of Houston Landmark
397:Architecture of Houston
640:Nathan-Garner, Laura.
307:
220:
648:, November 10, 2009.
392:Historic preservation
305:
215:
157:http://traderjoes.com
656:, 9780762758371. p.
460:on December 30, 2008
19:For other uses, see
1004:29.7393°N 95.4112°W
1000: /
48:2922 South Shepherd
28:
1136:History of Houston
945:) City of Houston.
807:The New York Times
325:In September 2011
308:
274:Barnes & Noble
221:
190:Streamline Moderne
89:Streamline Moderne
1098:
1097:
1090:St. John's School
1080:Lamar High School
1009:29.7393; -95.4112
982:Official Website.
960:Weingarten Realty
922:Houston Chronicle
915:Sarnoff, Nancy. "
871:Houston Chronicle
864:Sarnoff, Nancy. "
852:Houston Chronicle
845:Sarnoff, Nancy. "
833:Houston Chronicle
698:Houston Chronicle
628:Houston Chronicle
603:Houston Chronicle
559:Houston Chronicle
541:Weingarten Realty
519:Houston Chronicle
450:"Alabama Theatre"
421:Houston Chronicle
293:Weingarten Realty
202:Weingarten Realty
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67:Weingarten Realty
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320:Alamo Drafthouse
230:Great Depression
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1070:Alabama Theatre
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932:Further reading
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751:City of Houston
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950:External links
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621:Gray, Lisa. "
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579:on 2008-05-22
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980:Carolyn Farb
920:
897:. Retrieved
893:the original
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831:
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811:. Retrieved
805:
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784:. Retrieved
780:the original
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759:. Retrieved
755:the original
750:
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730:. Retrieved
726:the original
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701:. Retrieved
697:
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646:Globe Pequot
641:
636:
626:
617:
606:. Retrieved
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581:. Retrieved
577:the original
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494:. Retrieved
490:the original
485:
462:. Retrieved
458:the original
453:
424:. Retrieved
420:
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370:Texas portal
347:
344:
327:Trader Joe's
324:
316:
312:Carolyn Farb
309:
291:
281:
263:
251:
237:
227:
218:Trader Joe's
198:Trader Joe's
176:district of
165:
163:
135:Years active
114:Construction
108:Trader Joe's
1050:Upper Kirby
1007: /
384:Film portal
278:Gary Hoover
250:film made (
248:CinemaScope
242:, starring
174:Upper Kirby
96:Current use
73:Designation
1105:Categories
1065:2727 Kirby
995:95°24′40″W
992:29°44′21″N
899:2011-10-29
813:2009-08-10
786:2009-08-10
761:2009-08-10
732:2009-08-10
703:2009-08-10
654:0762758376
608:2009-09-09
583:2009-08-10
496:2009-08-10
464:2009-08-10
426:2009-09-09
244:Jack Benny
104:Production
1058:Landmarks
270:bookstore
143:Architect
356:See also
339:terrazzo
267:Bookstop
253:The Robe
234:art-deco
194:roadshow
186:Art Deco
85:Art Deco
943:Archive
537:Archive
208:History
178:Houston
151:Website
127:Rebuilt
91:Theatre
51:Houston
45:Address
652:
119:Opened
99:Grocer
403:Notes
182:Texas
138:1939–
63:Owner
55:Texas
941:." (
650:ISBN
188:and
164:The
130:1983
122:1939
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
