Pix Capri Theatre
Pix Capri Theatre is a historic cinema and entertainment venue in Jackson, Mississippi, originally opened as the Pix Theatre in 1939.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Pix Capri Theatre is a historic entertainment venue on North State Street, the historic U.S. Highway 51 corridor in Jackson, Mississippi. The building opened in 1939 as the Pix Theatre and was designed by Jackson architect James T. “Jack” Canizaro, who was also an investor in the project. Its original role was as a neighborhood movie theater serving local audiences before changes in the regional cinema market altered its business model. The Pix ceased operating in 1957. In 1965, Cinema Guild Inc. acquired the property and reopened it under the Capri Theatre name. The renamed theater initially performed successfully, but the spread of multiplex cinemas across the Jackson metropolitan area created stronger competition. By the late 1970s, the Capri increasingly depended on second-run films. In the early 1980s, it began screening X-rated films as an effort to remain commercially viable, but the venue closed by 1985. The building remained vacant for approximately two decades. In 2005, it reopened in a different role, hosting live music, independent films, and live theater performances. This period reflected an effort to treat the property as a flexible cultural venue rather than solely as a conventional first-run cinema. Various organizations and interested parties attempted to raise funds for restoration, but those efforts did not produce a full redevelopment at the time. In 2012, plans were announced for a mixed-use project that would have incorporated a multiscreen dinner theater. The property’s historical importance received formal recognition during this period. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History designated the building a Mississippi Landmark on August 8, 2002. On September 10, 2014, it was listed as a contributing element of the Downtown Fondren Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places. A larger redevelopment plan for the Fondren neighborhood was announced in 2019. The project included a Tiki bar, bowling alley, restaurants, and renovation of the theater. The redeveloped venue opened to the public in January 2022 alongside the new entertainment and hospitality facilities. Its first reported movie presentation after the redevelopment was Spider-Man: No Way Home. The modern Pix Capri Theatre combines cinema with food, beverages, and lounge-style hospitality. The renovated auditorium is reported to include a 40-foot screen, Dolby 7.1 sound, digital laser projection, 178 reclining lounge seats, fold-out tables, and a full-service food and cocktail menu. The venue therefore represents a transition from a traditional single-screen neighborhood theater to a mixed entertainment destination. Its historical identity is expressed through the continuity between the Pix name, the later Capri name, and the preservation and adaptive reuse of the original theater building.
History
The building now known as Pix Capri Theatre was constructed in 1939 on North State Street in Jackson, Mississippi. At the time, North State Street formed part of the historic U.S. Highway 51 route. The theater was designed by Jackson architect James T. “Jack” Canizaro, who also participated as an investor. It originally operated as the Pix Theatre, serving as a conventional local movie house. The Pix ended its initial run in 1957. In 1965, Cinema Guild Inc. purchased the property and reopened it as the Capri Theatre. The new name marked a second operating phase, and the theater was initially successful. Competition intensified, however, as multiplex cinemas expanded throughout the Jackson metropolitan market. By the late 1970s, the Capri had shifted toward second-run films, which generally carried lower commercial value than current releases. During the early 1980s, it also began showing X-rated films in an attempt to sustain operations. The theater closed in 1985. The closed building remained vacant for roughly twenty years. In 2005, it reopened as a broader cultural venue offering live music, independent films, and live theater. The reopening demonstrated the property’s potential for adaptive reuse, although efforts to secure funding for a comprehensive restoration did not succeed. In 2012, developers announced plans for a mixed-use venue that would have included a multiscreen dinner theater, but the building did not immediately complete that transformation. Recognition of the property’s historic value proceeded separately from its commercial redevelopment. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History designated the building a Mississippi Landmark on August 8, 2002. On September 10, 2014, the theater was listed as a contributing property within the Downtown Fondren Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2019, a larger Fondren neighborhood development was announced with a reported value of $13 million. The project incorporated renovation of the Capri Theatre along with a Tiki bar, bowling alley, and restaurants. The redeveloped theater opened to the public in January 2022. Its first reported movie was Spider-Man: No Way Home. The renovated venue was described as combining cinema with a premium hospitality format. Its reported features include a 40-foot screen, Dolby 7.1 audio, a digital laser projection system, 178 reclining lounge seats, fold-out tables, and full-service food and cocktail offerings. This configuration repositioned the property from a traditional movie theater into a mixed-use entertainment destination while retaining its historic theater identity. The venue’s history consequently spans neighborhood cinema, second-run and adult-film programming, cultural-event reuse, historic preservation, and contemporary dine-in movie entertainment.
- 2022
Redeveloped theater opens
[1]The renovated venue opens to the public with Spider-Man: No Way Home reported as its first movie.
- 2019
Fondren redevelopment announced
[1]A broader development plan includes renovation of the Capri Theatre and new surrounding hospitality and entertainment facilities.
- 2014
Added to the National Register district
[1]The theater becomes a contributing element of the Downtown Fondren Historic District.
- 2012
Mixed-use dinner-theater plans announced
[1]Plans are announced to develop the property into a mixed-use venue with a multiscreen dinner theater.
- 2005
Reopens as a multi-purpose cultural venue
[1]After approximately two decades vacant, the building resumes public use for live music, independent films, and live theater.
- 2002
Designated a Mississippi Landmark
[1]The Mississippi Department of Archives and History designates the building as a Mississippi Landmark.
- 1985
Theater closes
[1]After a period that included X-rated programming, the Capri closes.
- 1970
Shift toward second-run films
[1]By the late 1970s, growing multiplex competition leads the Capri to rely increasingly on second-run movies.
- 1965
Reopens as the Capri Theatre
[1]Cinema Guild Inc. acquires the property and reopens it under the Capri Theatre name.
- 1957
Original Pix operation ends
[1]The Pix Theatre ceases operations.
Products and positioning
A historic Jackson cinema repositioned as a contemporary, hospitality-oriented entertainment venue combining film, live performance, lounge seating, and food-and-cocktail service.
Cinema exhibition · 1939
Movie screenings
The venue’s core offering is theatrical film exhibition. Across its history, the theater has presented regular movie programming, second-run titles, independent films, and, after redevelopment, contemporary commercial releases. The reopened venue’s first reported film was Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Live entertainment · 2005
Live music and theater performances
During its 2005 revival, the former cinema operated as a flexible cultural venue for live music and live theater as well as independent films. These uses broadened the building’s role beyond conventional movie exhibition and supported its continued public use while restoration and redevelopment efforts were being considered.
Hospitality cinema · 2022
Dine-in cinema experience
The redeveloped theater offers a hospitality-led cinema format with reclining lounge seats, fold-out tables, and full-service food and cocktail options. Reported technical and seating features include a 40-foot screen, Dolby 7.1 sound, digital laser projection, and 178 seats.
Brand decisions
2022
Redevelopment into a premium mixed-use theaterGeneration changeBackground
A Fondren development plan sought to modernize the historic theater while adding complementary entertainment and hospitality uses.
Action taken
The renovated venue reopened with digital laser projection, Dolby 7.1 sound, a large screen, reclining lounge seating, tables, and food-and-cocktail service.
Aftermath
The theater returned to public movie exhibition as part of a broader Fondren entertainment development.
1978
Shift to second-run programmingStrategyBackground
Multiplex theaters expanded across the Jackson metropolitan market, making it more difficult for the single-screen Capri to compete for current film releases.
Action taken
The theater increasingly relied on second-run films by the late 1970s.
Aftermath
The change did not prevent eventual closure in 1985.
1965
Rebranding from Pix to CapriStrategyBackground
After the original Pix Theatre operation ended, Cinema Guild Inc. acquired the building and sought to restart it under a new name.
Action taken
The property was reopened as the Capri Theatre.
Aftermath
The renamed theater initially operated successfully before later facing pressure from expanding multiplex competition.
Sources1 sources
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