Electric Theater Bey Auditorium

Electric Theater Bey Auditorium. . In 1878, Joseph "Felix" Bey inherited part of Lot 43 on the south side of the square from his father, Casimir Jean Claude Bey, a native of France. In 1883, Joseph erected a new building on the property. By 1889, proprietors Leon L'Hote and George Muench, occupied the building selling general merchandise. The popular L'Hote and Muench Merchandise Store was in business for 14 years until 1903. Other early occupants of the building were: Union Market, a grocery store; Martin and Co., a furniture store; and a saloon. Joseph died in 1897 and by 1911 his son, Dr. John Emil Bey, a dentist, managed the building. Dr. Bey remodeled the building which was being occupied by the Electric Theatre with a Mr. Chapplus as proprietor. The theatre space was enlarged, an inclined floor was installed, and a stage was added. The Electric Theatre showed silent movies, world and national news, and hosted events such as school graduations, community functions, and visiting talents. By 1913, Dr. Bey would again oversee extensive construction and remodeling of the building. Added to the wood frame. building was a buff brick front with a hood roof constructed of red Spanish tiles hovering over the entrance to protect the two new French doors. The brick front came to a peak above the roof line topped with a decorative minaret. On each side of the new brick front were tall brick towers topped with ornate urns. The theatre would have bench seating with a capacity to hold 500 people. At that time, the building was officially named BEY AUDITORIUM with its name added in terra cotta to the front of the building. In December 1923, Dr. Bey added new interior decorations inside the Electric Theatre costing $1,000. The project included 67 paintings in various sizes with some as large as 8 x 10 feet hung on the walls depicting scenes from the Wisconsin Dells, Gulf of Mexico, Rocky Mountains, and one scene from France. These were done by H. E. Springer of Diehlstadt, Missouri. Local businesses helped with financing of these commissioned paintings, and in return, their names/businesses appeared next to a painting. By 1925, the Electric Theatre had a new proprietor, A. C. Mercier. Mercier and his son, Val Mercier, ran the Electric Theatre until the new Mercier Theatre building opened in 1934 on the west side of the square After A. C. Mercier left, the Electric Theatre closed. The building was then used to house retail businesses. Some of the other businesses that followed through the years were: Western Auto, Ted Fricke and Fred Neels Nation-Wide Grocery, Huber House of Color, Golden Needle, Tractors, 15 West Bar and Grill, The Foundry, Southern Roots, and Brass + Bone, current owner of the building. The Bey family sold the building in August 1983 after 100 years of ownership. In 2023, Bey Auditorium turned 140 years old!