The Bijou, Wilmington’s first movie theater, began in a tent on North Front Street and was remade in more permanent form. Some accounts claim it was the first permanent moving picture theater in North Carolina. The new Bijou opened on May 30, 1912, with its ornate architecture conveying the glamor of moving pictures. It was established by James “Foxy” Howard and Percy Wells, who formed the Howard and Wells Amusement Company and commissioned Stephens (and others) to design the theater. Its grand, classical façade features a domed entrance bay akin to the Victoria Theatre. It was highly popular for many years but was razed in 1963.