The Apollo on Emma set for August opening in downtown Springdale
by July 13, 2017 2:50 pm 1,098 views
The Apollo on Emma event venue has planned a grand opening for Aug. 17.
A charity gala is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Proceeds will be donated to the Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation, the Arkansas Baptist Foundation home for single mothers in Springdale and the Circle of Life Hospice.
Built in 1945 as a movie theater, The Apollo is at 308 W. Emma Ave. in downtown Springdale.
General Manager Heidi Faires said the venue can accommodate a range of events, including corporate business luncheons, weddings and receptions, and has already started book events.
“The venue will be one of Northwest Arkansas’ most elite and upscale venues. From crystal chandeliers and marble flooring, to built-in mahogany wood bars in the lobby, it will be unlike any other venue in Northwest Arkansas,” Faires said.
In addition to event space, the property will have two studio apartments for rent on the second floor. The Studios at The Apollo each are 800 square feet and will rent for $1,500 and $1,400 monthly, according to a post on The Apollo on Emma Facebook page.
Longtime Springdale residents Tom Lundstrum and Brian Moore purchased the property for $50,000 in 2014, saving The Apollo from demolition.
The theater was constructed by Bill Sonneman and was the first movie theater built in Springdale.
Moore is president of Engineering Services in Springdale, and Lunsdtrum is president at ChemStation in Springdale. He told Talk Business & Politics last year that the outside will be restored to look like a movie theater, while the inside would be completely renovated and redecorated with an art deco theme.
“People will walk in the front door and not believe it’s in Springdale,” Lundstrum said, alluding to “upscale” planned elements like a chandeliered, coffered ceiling in the ballroom and a custom-made serving counter in the foyer.
In an effort to recapture the glamour of the original theater, Lundstrum said he planned for the new design to include a few original elements of the space, including a refurbished antique mirror from Italy.