June 6, 2008

Some neon in Shreveport


I hesitated to even do this as a post, because there is so much more neon than I was able to find in one visit. But I wanted to do a followup to the Ghosts of Shreveport post.

neon parking sign
I thought this looked really vintage.

other side of martin's neon sign
This sign was used by a place called Martin's. It might have been a bar. Sort of looks like a guitar. Other side:
martin's neon sign

This place, called Ridgways, had a neon sign out front, and over the back alley entrance:
ridgway's neon sign
ridgway's rear entrance neon sign
Sweet!

the capri theater
Finally, I found the Capri Theater, which has been a part of downtown Shreveport since the 1920s. Too bad it was sunny, because the crew working on renovating the old theater asked me if I wanted all the lights on. I of course said yes, but the effect was slightly muted by the daylight. You can just make out the various colors:
capri theater facade
interior of capri theater
They also let me look around inside the old theater. Swell! Nice folks (and neon) in Shreveport.

3 comments:

Capri Guy said...

It's not abar called Martins but was called the Gay Nineties. The bar top was completely covered with real silver dollars and then a thick clear coat was poured over it. By the way i am the owner of the Capri Theatre

Anonymous said...

Is the Capri the one that used to be a bar/club? I remember when I lived in Louisiana and went to La. Tech and frequented a great club downtown just down from the Strand. It was a converted theater into a club. GREAT PLACE in the 80's, if it is the place I am thinking of. Are the fixing it up? What happened to it?

Steve said...

The Gay Nineties operated at the location during the 1960's, as a topless bar. I was there in 1968 and was told there were $20,000 worth of silver dollars covering the bar. In the early 70's it was under new management, renamed "Aavards" and later "Martins". It is now in disrepair. The Capri Theater was built in 1911 by the Saenger Brothers who had a drugstore at the corner of Milam and Louisiana Street, and it burned in 1952 which nearly destroyed it. It was renamed the Capri in the 1970's.