Gem Theatre (Kannapolis, North Carolina)

After a 1942 fire, only the façade, offices, projection booth and part of the lobby remained. The theater was rebuilt and reopened in 1948 with 916 seats and a new balcony to replace the old one. Steve Morris bought a share of the theater in 1995 and became general manager and later the owner. With competition from newer theaters, the Gem showed movies that had already been shown elsewhere. First-run movies returned in 2000. The city of Kannapolis bought the theater in 2015 as part of a downtown revitalization project. Renovations done in 2021 include the exterior, roof, and HVAC. The theater reopened May 16, 2024 after five months of interior renovations costing $1.2 million. == Architecture ==

'' (1936) on the marquee The theater building uses Art Deco designs including the prominent blue marquee, which includes about 50 neon lights. In the interior, the trough lighting was restored along the ceiling. In the theater itself, the screen is flanked by two original metalwork panels with stylized birds-of-paradise. == See also ==