As built for E. A. Lackey, the exterior of the theater was apparently a copy of the Bijou Theatre in Wilmington, with its robust classical details and domed entrance bay. Built as an opera house to serve the busy railroad junction town, it was celebrated as the site of performances of Enrico Caruso. Updated to serve as a movie theater, it has been extensively altered over the years and is best known for its Art Deco façade created in the 1930s.