The Good Ole Capri Theatre

Watching movies is a hobby of mine, whether renting them or going to the theater.  This love for the big screen cinema began as a child when I started going to the famed Capri Theatre in downtown Gaffney, SC.



The Capri was one of the vintage Mom and Pop operations. Back in elementary school, every time school was out for a holiday or a teacher workday, the school would give out free tickets for students to see movies at the Capri. They called it "The School's Out Special". My mom loved taking myself, my brother, and often some of our cousins and friends. I looked forward going to the movies then as it was often the only time we would go. 


Movie theatres have evolved so much now, offering THX sound, stadium seating, 3D screens and other features. They have become very corporate and therefore expensive. You can easily spend $25-$40 for a night at the movies. The Capri was very simple: cheap to free for admission, the cheapest concessions, and a couple of arcade machines. There was something special about that theatre that had a balcony open only for special occasions. It had history, represented a more innocent time in my life. It showed how small businesses can be a beacon to the local community, and then become obsolete when a larger corporate brand comes to town (i.e., Gaffney Entertainment). Granted I like Gaffney Entertainment a lot. It just doesn't give me that simple, nostalgic feel that the Capri provided.



I remember the FINAL time I went to the Capri. It was in summer 2006 and I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl. I felt like a child again, sitting in that theater.  It lacked the elements of the big time theaters, but that mattered not to me.  I enjoyed myself. 



Present-day, the Capri is open for local concert performances, open mics and special events.  It is now called the Capri On Main.  No newly released movies play in this theatre anymore. I have actually been to Capri On Main and it’s nice.  I like how they have remodeled the place and have given it some more flare. However, it’s not quite the same feeling that the movie theater aspect gave me.

Also, when I was younger, the Capri was NOT just a building or a theater. It was a good way to relax on a day off, bonding with family and friends, and simply enjoying a movie without all of the frills and whistles that enhance today's movies.   Those were indeed good times, simpler times.