From what was once a funeral home, Jennifer McNutt’s dream of bringing an art house movie theater to Fort Worth has been given life.
In mid-March the Fort Worth Planning and Zoning Commission approved the sale of alcohol at the historic Pinkston building in Southeast Fort Worth’s Evans-Rosedale neighborhood, where McNutt and her husband, James Johnston, want to open an art house theater to show first-run art films. The Fort Worth City Council followed suit by also approving the request unanimously on April 3.
“We have a motion and several seconds – with excitement,” Mayor Betsy Price said before the vote.
The building at 821 E. Terrell St., which is currently vacant, is owned by Robb and Jennifer Neil Farmer. It was most recently the Pinkston Funeral Home.
“I want to give a shout out to the Farmers for making this possible, and we’re hoping the Citizens Theater to be here,” said District 8 Councilmember Kelly Allen Gray.
On-site sales will be limited for theater, cinema, cafe, and/or restaurant use. The site is located at the northwest corner of Terrell and Kentucky avenues. The building was constructed in three phases starting in 1921; it was the center of commerce in Terrell Heights until the 1980s. It housed the Avenue Movie Theatre from 1933-1938, a recreation club, automobile service station, doctor’s offices, beauty parlor/barber, apparel retailer, food market, mortuary, antiques market and more.
An exhibit indicates a large space for up to five screening rooms, up to three small office spaces that front Terrell Avenue, and a corner space at Terrell and Kentucky that is intended for a restaurant or office, but could be used for retail or other purposes. The parking lot to the north has spaces for up to 63 vehicles.
The property has a historic and cultural designation overlay.
SISTER CITY ADDED
The City Council approved Nimes, France, as its latest Sister City during its meeting April 3. Nimes is the ninth Sister City for Fort Worth, joining Bandung, Indonesia; Budapest, Hungary; Guiyang, China; Mbabane, Swaziland; Nagoka, Japan; Reggio Emilia, Italy; Toluca, Mexico; and Trier, Germany.
Nimes has a population of 151,075. It was founded in 118 BC, and among the things it is famous for is the invention of something familiar to all Texans: denim.
“It’s a charming city,” said Mayor Betsy Price, who visited there with her husband on a bicycling tour a few years ago. “I’d love to go back and see more. It’s a wonderful suggestion.”
During the work session earlier, Johnny Campbell, chairman of Fort Worth Sister Cities International, said a culinary exchange is already in progress for adults and youths with Nimes. Also, some Fort Worth students are set to go to Nimes in June, there are connections with Fort Worth organizations and businesses, and a French immersions camp is possible with the Fort Worth Independent School District.
“When [a delegation from Nimes] came to visit, they became very excited,” Campbell said. “A number of things have begun to happen.”
District 7 Councilman Dennis Shingleton recalled a lunch he had with the delegation that included Nimes Mayor Jean-Paul Fournier.
“It was a good time. They were fun people,” he said.