Exterior Renovation of the Strand Theatre

As the revitalization of the Chestnut Street District continues, the exterior renovation of another historic downtown building, the Strand Theatre located at 1102 Main, is almost complete.

The Strand Theatre was originally built in 1917 by Millard Kirkman, who moved to Ellis County from Missouri in 1883.  Before then, the only structure documented to be on that lot was an agricultural implement shed.  Once the Strand Theatre opened on May 15, 1917, it became the host to a variety of movies, musicals and live plays for the next 45 years.

After the Strand Theatre closed in 1962, the building became occupied by first The Village Shop, a men’s clothing store which opened in 1963 and then the Goodwill organization, a second-hand merchandise store that opened in 1995.  In 2003 the Goodwill store relocated leaving the building vacant.

 In hopes of bringing back its historic presence, in the Fall of 2007, Liberty Group began extensive renovations on the building, including adding a new roof, rebuilding and restoring the existing terra cotta and cleaning and repointing the existing brick. 

Previous Liberty Group building restoration projects in the downtown area include the Philip Hardware building located at 719 Main, Simply Charmed located at 1011 Main and its expansion property at 106 W. 11th Street, C.S Post & Co. at 117 W. 11th Street, Bildschon Baby at 1013 Main, Bildschon Haus at 1100 Main, the building at 112 W. 11th Street formerly known as Eli’s Room and Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. located at 117 E. 11th Street.  Liberty Group also worked with other downtown property owners on exterior renovation concepts.

The next restoration project will be the Oddfellows property located at 1107-1111 Main.  “We have already completed the interior demolition on these store fronts and are now working on plans for exterior restoration with the Kansas State Historical Society,” explained Kelli Hansen of Liberty Group.