OUR STORY
Box Office Brewery is located inside the historic "Strand Theatre" in Strasburg, VA. This theatre is believed to be the first large, fully developed movie theater in Shenandoah County. Constructed around 1918, this masonry venue at first showed only silent films. It was also used by locals for community and school events as well as traveling vaudeville. The name was changed to the Strasburg Theater in the 1930's and continued use as a theater until 1955 when the doors were finally closed. This theater was known as the "Gathering Place" by most locals. The front entrance to Box Office Brewery was known as the theater lobby. Behind the lobby is the large, one story theater auditorium. Over the front section known as the lobby was a prominent ornamental metal marquee projecting over the sidewalk with a vertical blade sign that read "Theatre." The front facade was originally built with red brick but later roughly finished with stucco around 1960. The theaters high ceiling is finished in ornamental pressed tin sections and a tin cornice. The strand theatre seating 750 people and was heated with a wood stove in the winter. The chimney still stands on the exterior wall close to the stage. Quite possibly the most important feature of the theater is a series of landscape paintings on both side walls depicting various sites around Strasburg. They are locally important artwork believed to be the oldest known murals in not only Strasburg but Shenandoah County as well.
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Significant Details of the Renovation:
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Approximately 150 window board posters were found in the attic under ceiling rafter insulation. These window boards are all dated 1933-1934 and are found lining the lobby walls and embedded in the balcony bar behind glass upstairs.
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The existing stage is constructed from pine tongue & groove flooring from the original stage.
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The floor joists from the existing stage are used as vertical boards under the bars and along the knee wall separating the brewing equipment from the taproom seating area.
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The new metal and concrete balcony was rebuilt where the former balcony was located. The former balcony which also housed the projector room had collapsed and was removed by others.
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The original stage door is still located upon the stage with actors/actresses names etched into the glass from the 1930's and 40's.
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The downstairs main bar top is constructed with an original bowling lane from the 1930's "Lucky Strikes" Bowling Lanes located 2 blocks down main street. The original duck pins and bowling balls are on display above the merchandise shelves at the bar.