No, you’re not seeing a ghost—but instead, the sister theater of the original Capri at 42nd and University, alive and well in Lake City!After the Iowa Theater in Lake City burned down on New Year's Eve 1958, the town pled with Bob Fridley to help them get a new venue open: they would build it if he would operate it. And so, Fridley took “the best parts of the Capri and the Varsity” and built a new theater that is for the most part a spitting image of the original Capri. Construction was completed circa 1964. Fridley dubbed it "Iowa's Most Beautiful Theater".
Fridley eventually donated the theater to the town in 2003, where it has run as a non-profit ever since. Admission is a mere 2 dollars, with equally reasonable concessions.
If you miss the original Capri, or just feel the need for a great neighborhood movie experience, trek on out to Lake City. (Next time I’m in Iowa, I’m going!) Find out what's showing now at The Lake City Capri Theatre.
These photos were graciously provided by Terry Watters, who is president of the Capri.
2 comments:
Ah Ha!!! I knew I wasnt seeing things:-) Great post! Thanks for getting the rest of the story:-)
Tom
I grew up in Sac county and went to the Capri in Lake City about every other month. Our local movie theater in Lake View burned in 1966.
I was just telling a friend about the Des Moines Capri the other day and its 2 year run of The Sound of Music and how it was a huge irritation to Donald Kaul the Register Columnist who had just moved into the neighborhood at the time.
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