Strand Theatre of Tiptonville to re-open as first-run movie theatre
PRESS RELEASE FROM STRAND THEATRE OF TIPTONVILLE
Contact: Wes Watts, owner Princess Theatre of Lexington
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 24, 2024
Strand Theatre of Tiptonville to Re-open as First-Run Movie Theatre!
Movies on the BIG SCREEN – are returning to the Reelfoot Region! The Strand Theatre of Tiptonville first operated as the local motion-picture house from 1915-1965. Over the years, the building had been repurposed and has not shown first-run movies since that time. After an extensive renovation and preservation of the historic Art-Deco theatre, the Tiptonville Main Street Association along with the Watts
Family, current owners of the 102-year-old Princess Theatre of Lexington, have partnered to bring the most- current Blockbuster Hollywood releases to the Strand Theatre’s BIG SCREEN!
Strand Theatre Tiptonville Logo
Courtesy of Weston Watts
Renovations on the Strand Theatre included: Brand-new state-of-the-art Digital Cinema Projection equipment, a new 26-foot-wide CinemaScope movie screen, and the trademark Dolby Digital Cinema Surround Sound System, while keeping the historic feel of walking back in-time to a 1940s-era Art Deco Theatre. The Theatre will tentatively open in the Spring of 2024. It will showcase current movie releases and will be serving-up the beloved theatre popcorn, caramel popcorn, candy favorites, and soft drinks! – As a plus, movie concession items can be purchased to-go, anytime the doors are open, without having to purchase a movie ticket. Movie showtimes will be Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. More days for showtimes may be added in the future.
“When we started endeavoring to expand, we toured several towns across the Mid-South. Upon arriving in Tiptonville, we met Marcia Mills of the Tiptonville Main Street Association and Executive Director of the Reelfoot Area Chamber of Commerce. It did not take very long for us to know that Tiptonville is where we wanted to be. Tourism and economic development go hand-in-hand, in profiting for a community. Tiptonville’s warm and welcoming atmosphere, coupled with the hospitality and excellent customer service shown at the local retailers and restaurants, were key factors in making this decision. There is no-better way to spend a Friday night than coming to Tiptonville for ‘Dinner and a Movie!’”– Weston Watts, past Vice-President of the Mid-South Theatre Convention, Operator – Strand Theatre of Tiptonville and Princess Theatre of Lexington.
Since 1969, three generations of the Watts family have been in the family entertainment business. The grandfather of the family Doug Watts, briefly lived in Tiptonville as a child. He was the long-time owner of The Skating Place of Milan and Magic Wheels Skating Center of Jackson. Mr. Doug also played an active role in the renovations of both the Princess Theatre of Lexington in 2015, and the Strand Theatre over the last nine months.
The new Strand Theatre operation plans to hire 4-6 part-time employees. Employment applications can be found at StrandTheatreTiptonville.com, as well as photos and videos of the renovation results. Be sure to follow their social media pages, subscribe to their email list, and check StrandTheatreTiptonville.com for updates on the new showtimes!
Find more local news stories here.
