Entertainment options are growing in Tallassee as there are plans to reopen the Mt. Vernon Theater.
Bill Patterson and the father-son team of Joey and Barry Wigington have partnered to bring an entertainment and gathering option to Tallassee.
“We are doing it for the community,” Patterson said. “We want the community to benefit from it.”
The theater first opened in 1935 and closed for 50 years in 1968. It reopened briefly about six years ago but hasn’t been a mainstay in town for decades.
As a child and young adult, Patterson lived across the river in East Tallassee in the “Superintendent's House.” He mainly attended the theater on what is now Central Boulevard but did trek across the Tallapoosa River from time to time to the Mt. Vernon.
“I've been to many a show there,” Patterson said. “Hank Williams used to come in and play on the stage before a movie.”
Other bands and performances were held on the stage of the theater.
“There are a lot of memories in the theater,” Patterson said.
Patterson recalls paying 10 cents for admission with drinks, candy and popcorn being just a nickel a piece.
“It was just a good time,” Patterson said.
The new owners want to let the community help bring it back to life and make the theater more than just a building. They want it to be a community facility.
“We want to have almost everything,” Patterson said. “We are going to open it for the community. We have talked about weddings, concerts and movies, especially old movies. When we do that we will have the popcorn machine going and drinks like the good ole days. ”
Joey Wigington said the lobby will be renovated and their hope is to someday replace the wooden seats. The team also may install a digital marquee where block letters currently are placed advertising what’s inside.
“Down the road we are looking at a restaurant adjoining the theater,” Patterson said. “The restaurant will open six or seven days a week and be similar to what the Hotel Talisi was like in the good ole days. But that's well down the road.”
Wigington and Patterson are working with a similar theater in Tennessee. The idea is to try to get a performer at one theater one night and the other the next night. They are also planning a Veterans Day program for this year. A grand opening is scheduled for Dec. 1.
”We will do Christmas movies all during the season,” Wigington said. “We have Santa coming at some date too. Christmas will be a big time here.”
Like Patterson, Wington sees it as an opportunity to make the theater a part of Tallassee history again. They are renaming the facility the Mt. Vernon Performing Arts Center to help encourage all arts and events.
“We truly want to make it that,” Wigington said. “We want to bring events that will give people something to do and areas to bring family and friends to.”