Can't Compete

 

You would have to go back all the way to when the club was initially built. I was present at the grand opening thirty-eight years ago. I remember it well. George Miller was running the show then, like he is now. The location at 380 Beale was what he cut as a side deal when the BSDC got the money.   Thus the silence now. You won't hear from Randall Catron (BSDC) either. Notice how quiet he has been since the city took over Beale Street. He can't play the race card anymore. This location is and has been the only completely minority run project on all of Beale since its' revitalization. When they signed over management to Performa Realty. The structure at 380 Beale was the only structure that wasn't included. That was the beginning of the end for the theatre. It's like a black man selling a house. You can never get what it's worth. Unless you're part of the flight  It has taken almost forty years to happen. But the rope is running out.

 

This building was built in a different time. But like the Pyramid it was behind from the start. When they were building a two screen theatre Downtown for blacks. They were building multi-plexes for  whites out East. The Malco has eight screens. You could see first  run movies for $2 during the matinee. Since blacks had started to migrate. The Muhammad Ali Towne II Cinema met an untimely fate. Since then they have been a low level nightclub trying to pay big time rent. With places like Silky Sullivan's and Rum Boogie Cafes' customers spending big dollars every night. They can't make payroll with a club full of patrons spending $10 for admission and sipping off two drinks all night. In addition to only being open two maybe three nights a week. They just can't compete.