Now showing at the Capri: renovation

Matt Hill works on the Capri Theater's facelift Thursday by getting rid of the 40-year-old chairs and making space for new rocking seats. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Order this photo]

Who would have thought cozy rocking chairs being hauled off to the dump would mean that Mr. Economy is actually treating some people well?

No, truckloads of old chairs being hauled away from the 61-year-old Capri Theater on Depot Street do not mean the theater is going out of business.

Over the last few weeks, owners Ray and Beth Rhoton have been replacing the old, worn out, golden, ripped and raggedy -- yet still very popular -- theater chairs for two reasons.

Manager Mary Cates sits in one of the new chairs in the upstairs theater. The theaters also have new drapes on the walls and the downstairs theater has a new screen. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

One, they can afford to, because despite a struggling economy, the Capri is doing just fine.

"Of the comments I've heard so far, people are glad to see money being put into the theater, because that means we're staying open," manager Mary Cates said. "We're not going anywhere ... It's a little slow here now with the horse show, but that's normal. The theater is holding its own."

Unlike most theaters, at the Capri folks can buy an evening ticket for $6 and matinees are a dollar off. Their low prices, even for popcorn and sodas, attract regular customers from Murfreesboro and Tullahoma and keep locals coming back as well.

The second reason for replacing the chairs in the theater, known by locals as the "rocking chair theater," is because Cates was running out of supplies to fix the old chairs. Cates said she would have to take out rows of chairs, only to use those chairs for parts to fix other chairs.

The Capri was built in 1948 and operated for many years by Clyde Jacobs, who passed away in April. Since then, the chairs -- well, half of the chairs -- have been replaced once.

"These chairs in the downstairs theater were done 40 years ago, but the ones upstairs are original," Cates said.

The Rhotons, who purchased the Capri in 2002, are renovating the Shelbyville theater in addition to their two other theaters (in Winchester and Estill Springs) in stages so they don't actually have to shut the them down during the renovations.

Cates said it's evident how much folks liked those old rocking chairs. In the downstairs theater, there are three sections. The side two sections were the first to be replaced with the sharp new burgundy and black chairs, while the old ones remained in the middle section.

Cates said she'd peek in during a movie and customers who started out sitting on the new chairs would have shifted to the old seats.

"People who have been here will miss the old chairs until those new ones get broken in, but they will rock!" Cates laughed, explaining the new chairs are very comfortable, and much more modern ... just not quite as soft as the old ones -- yet, Cates said.

Renovations at the theater, which also include new drapes in both rooms as well as a new screen downstairs, should be completed by the end of the month.

The Capri is open nightly, with two shows at 7 p.m. Matinees are shown, in addition to the evening shows, on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 and 4 p.m.