By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Monday marked the beginning of the end for the old Bucyrus movie theater. Workers from Eagleston Signs, a company out of Mansfield, began removing the marquee from the building Monday morning.
The removal of the marquee was met with a bit of sadness.
Suzette Burger took her daily walk down Sandusky Avenue and was met with a crew and a truck from Eagleston Signs in front of the theater. Armed with her drink and cell phone, she sat on the bench outside of Etter’s House of Flowers and watched as parts of the marquee were removed. Snapping a few pictures, she texted her husband that a piece of their history was being taken down.
Judy Etter, owner of Etter’s House of Flowers, had stepped out of her business a bit before Burger arrived to take a few pictures with her cell phone. With her business being right across the street from the theater, Etter thought that it had become a bit of a dark mark on Sandusky Avenue in recent years, especially when the barrels and fence were put up to keep pedestrians out of the walkway underneath the marquee.
Even as the theater deteriorated over the years, Etter had respect for the old building. “It’s such a tradition and we hate to lose our traditions in town,” she said. “It does need to come down but it’s sad when you see traditions and old structures come down.”
Etter hoped that when the building is finally demolished, it will help improve the area.
When it was explained to Etter that the marquee was being donated to the Holland Theatre in Bellefontaine, she smiled a bit. She hoped that the citizens of Bucyrus would be able to see the marquee once it was put up in its new home.
Crews will continue their work on the marquee through Thursday.
Visit our Photos page to see the Eagleston Signs crew hard at work taking down the marquee Monday.