Gillioz Theatre

History

The Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East, Springfield, Missouri, was built by bridge contractor M. E. Gillioz of Monett and opened October 11, 1926. Wikipedia says the house cost $300,000 and was built of steel and concrete, with wood limited to handrails, doors, and frames. The National Park Service describes an ornate Spanish, Italian, and Moroccan auditorium on Route 66, closed for about 25 years, bought in 1990 by a group led by Bass Pro founder John L. Morris, listed on the National Register in 1991, deeded to the Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust, and reopened in 2006 after a rehabilitation first quoted at $1.8 million and finished for nearly five times that. It now books concerts and other shows. (Wikipedia, Gillioz Theatre; NPS, Gillioz Theatre)