Dateline: January 31, 2002

Owners may donate Mulkey Theater to CEDC  

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Jimmy Floyd of Canadian displays 5-cent movie coupons found in the office of the old Mulkey Theater. Enterprise Digital Photo

The Clarendon Economic Development Corporation would acquire the Mulkey Theater if a deal now under discussion works out.

Salem Abraham of Canadian confirmed Tuesday morning that he and his partner, Bob Altman of Central Texas, are exploring the idea of donating the historic theater to the CEDC.

“I’m hopeful this will work out,” Abraham said. “I think it would be better to try to see it in the hands of someone who can do something with it.”

Abraham owns 49 percent of the theatre; Altman owns 51 percent. The two are awaiting the results of an appraisal of the building, which was conducted last week.

Members of the CEDC and the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce toured the Mulkey on Thursday.

“I’m really impressed with the shape it is in,” said CEDC Board Member Dee Dee Autry.

Autry said the idea for acquiring the theater started when the Donley County Tourism Council wanted to put lights on the Mulkey’s marquee during the Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration. Inquiries about that led to the discussion of the 1940s-era building being donated to the community in some way.

The CEDC board has not formally made a decision about what to do with the building, but Autry said she personally would like to see it restored for live entertainment or motion pictures with the old barber shop area being utilized as an office for the chamber and CEDC.

“I would love to see it done like Canadian’s [Palace] Theater,” Autry said.

Abraham and his wife restored the Canadian theatre and installed a state-of-the-art sound system. Today, it runs movies every night with a new movie on Friday and a matinee on Sunday.

Autry says the CEDC is looking into the possibility of grants to restore the building and has contacted the Texas Commission on the Arts for assistance.

It is hoped that revitalizing the Mulkey would spur activity on Kearney Street like it did in Canadian.

“On the block with the Palace four years ago, there was a bank, a dilapidated theatre, three vacant buildings, and a caliche parking lot,” Abraham said.

“Today all the buildings are full, and the parking lot has been paved and landscaped.”

Abraham says he sees the Mulkey as having the potential to be nicer than the 1909-era Palace because the local theater was fancier to start with.

Abraham warns restoring the theater will not be a small project, but he thinks it is more doable in the hands of something like the economic development corporation which can go after grants for the benefit of the community.

Autry said if the donation of the building works out, the first step will probably be to consult an architect to see what work needs to be done on it.