The Paramount Theater’s History

Located on Queen St., the Paramount Theater was once a keystone of downtown Kinston’s “Magic Mile.” This historic gem got its start as Lofin’s Opera House in 1898, followed by a stint as The Grand Theatre from 1914 to the early 1930s, when Paramount Pictures Inc. took ownership, renovated and renamed the Paramount Theater. 

The smART Kinston Foundation purchased the building in 2018 with the goal of restoring and reopening the theater. 

Thanks to a facade grant from Downtown Kinston Revitalization, the marquee has been restored and features the original Paramount lettering. Once again, the lights shine bright along Queen St.

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