Sunday, May 18, 2008

Finding Hollywood in Mineola


My wife and I spent the weekend in Mineola, Texas, and the plan was to get away from our professional lives for 48 hours. That plan lasted about three hours. Just after we checked in and set out to find dinner, we stumbled upon the Select Theater. It's been in operation since 1920 -- the oldest in Texas -- and today shows movies on the weekends. We saw "Prince Caspian" there with a half-full house. Admission was $5 evening, $3 matinee.

Since these places live off of concessions, we went a bit Trump at the lobby counter. Bag of Whoppers. Bag of Reese's Pieces. Box of Junior Mints. Bottle of water. And a small Sprite. They stuck us with a -- wait for it -- $7.50 tab! Holy cheapskates, Batman. It was small-town movie theater heaven.

The Select is now being run as a nonprofit and also houses the Lake Country Playhouse.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

All that concession goodness for $7.50? And tickets for $5 each? I hate you right now!

I spent more than $60 this weekend on myself and my girlfriend to see "Iron Man" at the Boardwalk and "In Bruges" at the RFC. And, of course, next weekend's plans include another trip to the RFC to catch "The Counterfeiters" and some "Indy 4" at one of the googleplexes..... My entertainment budget needs to catch up with my tastes!

Alexandyr Kent said...

If it's any consolation, the trip cost us a second mortgage in gas.

Anonymous said...

AlexKent:

A second mortgage in gas???

Maybe Taco Bell should take over concessions in all theatres, and gas will be free.

Alexandyr Kent said...

Anonymous, the unidentified master of scatological humor, has just left the building. Ladies and gentlemen, please applaud ... and leave the doors open.

Anonymous said...

This place is beautiful! I love the marquee.