#TBT: Bijou Theater turned Bijou Park

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Today Bijou Park is a little getaway in Downtown Wilmington right off Front Street, but it used to be a movie theater.

The Bijou theater first opened in 1906 in an open lot on Front St. Two local entertainers, Percy Wells and James “Foxy” Howard, started the business. But it wasn’t a movie theater like we think of them today. The business team put up a canvas tent and chairs and showed silent movies. Folks only had to pay a nickel to see the show.

The in 1911, the Bijou was upgraded into a real movie house. The theater opened on May 30th, 1912.

But in the spring of 1956, after 50 years as a movie theater, the Bijou shut its doors. The building was demolished in October of 1963, but the name “Bijou” is still visible in the pavement in front of the old location.

It is now a hidden gem of Wilmington and home to a very small park.