By Wesley Harris
An agreement has been reached to restore Dubach’s historic movie theater.
Local businessman Eric Hanna has purchased the Gem Theater previously owned by the Sheehan family under a non-profit corporation called Wahoo Theater, Inc. Before it was the Gem, the theater was called the Wahoo.
Opened in 1937, the theater has been closed and unused for decades. Like many small towns, Dubach has struggled from prosperous days when oil and gas fields were discovered nearby in the 1940s-50s. In its heyday, Dubach boasted a Chevrolet dealership, furniture store, pharmacy, skating rink, a locally owned bank, restaurants, and numerous small businesses.
“We are thrilled to be able to transfer ownership of our historic Gem Theater to a Dubach native – Mr. Eric Hanna,” said Zack Sheehan. “A little history: After the theater caught fire back in the 1950s, and no bank would loan the owners money to rebuild, our grandmother, Margaret Fuller Sheehan, stepped up and made them a personal loan. She loved going to the movies and didn’t want to see the it closed.
“When they could no longer make the loan payments, they brought her the keys,” Sheehan said. “Later in the 1960s, my dad’s band ‘The Alliance’ used the theater for their band practices. As far as I know, there hasn’t been a movie shown at the Gem since the early 1960s,” Sheehan added.
“And interestingly enough, one of Eric Hanna’s relatives, Mr. Billy Hanna, once worked in the old theater as a projectionist, so this acquisition is very personal to Eric and his family as they restore the Gem back as a premier entertainment venue.”
Hanna, a retired Ruston Police investigator, is the owner of Totally Unwired of Ruston, offering satellite TV, internet services, and mobile device support.
Hanna said, “Restoring this theater is a dream my wife and I have had for many years.”
Hanna admitted the building needs significant refurbishment.
“As you can imagine, due to its age, the old theater needs a good bit of restoration work,” Hanna said. “We plan to get started on that right away. Our goal is to restore the theater, much as it was when it was first opened. In addition to showing movies, we’ll make it available as a venue for functions such as corporate events, parties, and weddings.”
Hann is also seeking old photographs of the interior or exterior of the theater. “It would really help us in our restoration efforts,” he said.
