Boarman's Roxy Theatre

After 37 years without an indoor movie theater, Shelbyville again has a place for movie buffs. Boarman’s Roxy Theatre is the brainchild of Shelbyville automobile dealer Bob Boarman who donated $100,000 in the summer of 2003 to the Greater Shelbyville Area Chamber of Commerce if they would build a movie theater.

The original Roxy closed on November 6, 1966 after showing the Disney film “Mary Poppins.”

Shelbyville had not had a movie theater since 1966, when the then 30-year-old Roxy closed.

The new Roxy is located in the same location in downtown Shelbyville after volunteers and members of the Roxy Theatre Management Committee, gutted the old theater building, that had been a photography studio, and rebuilt the Roxy from the brick walls out.

And now, 25,000 tickets sold later, it's still going strong.

The Roxy pays homage to the glory days with a vintage-looking theater marquee featuring neon lighting, and old style fabrics and curtains inside the building. The theater shows current Hollywood releases, classic films, and children’s films and provides other special programming.

Movie tickets are $4 each, and the Roxy offers a variety of specials, including special rates for area schools to bring students for special movies. Midnight shows of special films including the latest "Twilight" movie brought lines throughout the downtown area. During December, the theater offers free Saturday morning Christmas movies. The old-fashioned theater in a small town is also 21st century, with more than 1,300 friends on Facebook, a website and plans to add new digital equipment next year.

In addition to Boarman, other businesses have donated to the theater restoration and their names are featured on a plaque in the building’s lobby. Another generous donation was provided for the purchase of new seats, installed in October 2010.

Civic groups, Boy Scouts and other volunteers contributed many hours to the restoration project.

The Roxy has recently upgraded to a state-of-the-art digital projector.