On July 11, 2008, Phoenix Sign Co. arrived at the theatre to install the new marquee, which is a replicate of the original. The original tracking system was used allowing the use of the original marquee letters. Here is a nighttime picture of the marquee, which lights up downtown Hoquiam. You can also view the album of the complete marquee and entryway project here. Happy 80th Birthday 7th Street Theatre!

Labels: marquee, news

On Saturday, June 28, when the temperature soared into the 90s, several dedicated 7th Street Theatre volunteers braved the heat to paint the entryway. The board is sincerely grateful to everyone who helped. It truly would not have been possible to get so much done without the help of these great volunteers. You can see pictures of the marquee and entryway restoration progress here.

Labels: marquee, news, restoration, volunteers

If you've been by the 7th Street Theatre recently, you may notice something different. What happened to the marquee? Those of us who have spent hours on the historic Jones Photo Collection website have learned that the theatre did not orginally have a marquee. When the theatre was built in 1928 the ends of the portico (entryway awning) posted upcoming events. This is where the red "7th St" signs are now. There was a flat awning that ran around the entire theatre, above the large windows in the shops. It must have been difficult, when walking near the front of the building, to see the event postings. In 1929, the original candlestick sign, which was located on the corner of the building above the Sweet Shoppe, was replaced with a lighted section added which was used to announce upcoming events. We believe that the marquee was added around 1942.

The theatre received a generous donation from Dick and Pat Warren of Hoquiam to restore the marquee, which has been deteriorating in recent years. The neon lights did not work, the lighting on the inside of the unit were very dim, and it was consumed by rust. Phoenix Sign Co. of Aberdeen removed the sign today and it is scheduled to be back up in mid-July. If you get a chance, be sure to stop by and check it out! The original paint is visible, and we found that the sign covered up some of the beautiful woodwork.

Labels: 2008, marquee, Phoenix Sign, restoration