On Friday, December 4, 1970, the Martin Theater opened in Florence, Alabama, at the Grant Plaza Shopping Center on Darby Drive. On its first night, the theater screened Frank Sinatra-starring crime comedy Dirty Dingus Magee, delighting droves of desiring cineasts.

The theater had one screening area, which was furnished with 450 seats, and it was frequented for its showing of lighthearted, action-packed moving pictures that offered filmaholic Florentines escape from their daily toils through Hollywood idealism.

On June 9, 1988, after having been bought out by Carmike Cinemas, the Martin saw its final production. In the following 34 or so years, the space in which it had been has been taken up for a variety of different reasons.

Most recently, the vicinity lodged two consecutive bars- Side Pockets Billiards and The Brass Monkey. The former was a cozy pool hall with a small food and drink menu, while the latter, which closed only within the last couple of months, was a dive bar and hotspot for somewhat uninhibited fun.

As of now, the building has become the focus of bar manager and mondain Brian Lovejoy, who currently holds a few wellknown positions throughout Florence. He works downtown, as a supervisor at Odette. Situated on Court Street, Odette is an internationally-influenced contemporary eatery and bar. It is nearing ten years old and is commonly regarded as a staple of fine Southern cuisine and ardent spirits. Since its introduction into the community, Lovejoy has overseen its liquor-centered inner workings. In addition to his prior knowledge of mixology, his time at Odette has earned him widespread recognition as one of North Alabama’s most well-versed bourbon connoisseurs, as well as a reputation for being unfailingly hospitable.

Lovejoy is skilled at anticipating prevalent societal needs and wants. Close to a year ago, he opened an eccentric hangout called Mr. Norm’s Lounge. The lounge rests on Darby Drive. Now Florence’s sole karaoke bar, Mr. Norm’s lies coincidentally in the same shopping site where the Martin used to be. Of its conception, Lovejoy says, “I had a certain thing I was going to do that I’d envisioned as very different. I wasn’t sure how it would go over in this area, but I knew what I wanted to do. I made a place where I’d want to hang out. That’s not necessarily smart business; that’s just what I did.” His oft-understated notoriety as a magnanimous host worked in his favor; his new club has welcomed droves of customers into its inimitable atmosphere over the course of the last twelve months.

“I like the ideas behind bars,” Lovejoy muses. “I like that they’re gathering places. Everybody brings their own energy into a space, but it’s the manipulation of that energy that separates a good bar from a bad bar.” He plans to continue his enterprises to bring unique culture to the Shoals with his newest business venture, the one to be put in place in the empty structure that accommodated one of the state’s earliest movie houses and supported

The Brass Monkey up until a short while ago. Lovejoy is set to turn the vacant venue into an innovative cross between a club and a cinema looking to pay homage to its origins and play into the public’s sense of 70’s-era nostalgia.

Staying true to the setting’s original intentions, a large portion of Lovejoy’s latest project will be sectioned off for the purpose of showing films. Aside from this screening room, the rest of the edifice remains considerably sizable. It will function as an entity that sits somewhere on the spectrum between eclectic dive bar and cutting-edge cocktail lounge. Denoting food service, it will offer imaginative takes on classic movie theater snacks, including but not limited to gourmet popcorn, nachos and pizza.

Like Mr. Norm’s, the trailblazing lounge in development will not authorize indoor smoking, but it will instead connect to a comfortable patio
for guests who prefer to partake in the act. Despite this similarity, standardly speaking, it will not be marked by any substantial superficial resemblances to the karaoke joint. Since it features an expansive stage, Lovejoy hopes to hold live music events in its interior from time to time, setting it further apart from Mr. Norm’s, whose entertainment is made up entirely of its patrons’ own performances. “At Norm’s, the guests are the show.”

The chain that links the two establishments together will be their atmospheres. Along with its benevolent bartenders and abundant amenities, Lovejoy prides Mr. Norm’s on its comprehensiveness. “The culture there that we push is one of inclusivity,” he says. “It’s a base where people won’t mess with you because of who you are, and I think that shows a whole lot when you go in there. We suffered growing pains to get Norm’s to the point it’s at now, but it seems to have worked out so far. I’m hoping this new place will turn out like that, too.” The visionary new joint under discussion is on track to open in time spanning the next year.