Pieces of Kings Mountain History
Two years ago, David Stone and his family moved from the Crowders Mountain area to Kings Mountain when they began purchasing and restoring key properties in Kings Mountain’s history.
Their company, Stonewright Properties, LLC, is owned by David, his wife Janet, and their son, Christopher. You might recognize Christopher Stone’s name from his performances in Liberty Mountain over a six-year span. The family’s love of history, historic landmarks, and all things old runs deep as is evidenced by the properties they purchase and things they collect.
David understands what is required to restore and preserve historic buildings, both commercial and residential, through his real estate work. He also sits on the Historic Shelby Foundation board.
In 2019, Stonewright Properties purchased the W.A. Mauney home at 107 N. Piedmont and the Bonnie Mauney Summers property at 1220 N. Piedmont, becoming the owners of two of the most historically significant properties in the community.
Their most recent purchase occurred on April 30 for property at 138 W. Mountain Street, formerly known as Friendly Billiards. Although, the history of this building goes back almost a century as it was the first modern theater in Kings Mountain and the first built exclusively for that purpose.
The first task Stone took on with the newly acquired building was to repair the leaky roof and address other issues related to those leaks. The ceiling downstairs was taken down to the studs and the moisture issues have now been corrected.
The building itself is equal in size to 213 S. Battleground Avenue, with approximately 10,000 square feet combined across two levels. “Our thought about this building is to divide it into two retail spaces or keep it as a single,” David Stone said. “If we keep it single, we’d love to see a general store here. We think they could use the courtyard outside for a farmers market in the little alleyway, which would be a big draw. The other idea might be a tea and spice shop”
“To me the town needs three to five good anchors. Getting anchor stores to come in is difficult, because they have to be willing to see forward with you,” he said.
It is hard to determine the exact year the theater was built, due to spotty records from that time. Cinema Treasures.com lists the theater as opening in 1930 and having 600 seats. An ad from a 1939 Herald shows the theater offered several double features: Two-Gun Troubadour and Murder on Diamond Row on Wednesday and Thursday, Riders on the Frontier and The Girl from Rio running Friday and Saturday. The feature on Monday and Tuesday was Man in the Iron Mask. All seats were 10 to 15 cents.
A 1945 map shows the property with two retail spaces at the front, and a center entrance for the theater itself. The theater was segregated, as were most of that time. Outside there were separate stairs to balcony seating. An oval sign hung high on the building and the anchors for that sign remain in the brick facade. A marquee cover sheltered guests from both summer heat and inclement weather.
While the facility has been used as a billiard hall for decades, many items from the original theater remained with the building. Bent plywood theater seats are similar to ones in Central School Auditorium remain. Restroom facilities contain the original cast iron sinks and fixtures; they don’t appear to have been updated during the life of the facility.
At the back of the first floor, the theater stage area can be seen. Countless acts performed on the stage once there, and movies played on a screen now long gone.
Upstairs, the theater had a tin ceiling; Stone plans to repurpose it in the downstairs retail space.
After the theater closed, the second floor area was closed in, completely separating it from the downstairs, but the date of that remodel is unclear.
In 1948, additional steel I-beams were added to the roof, much like what was done at 213 S. Battleground around the same time-frame. Notes made on the I beam give us the only evidence of the date of their installation.
The upstairs space has most recently been used for storage. The new owners have now cleaned out that space. All that remains is a metal fan that hangs in the center of the ceiling.
If they do decide to divide the space, Stone plans to put lofts upstairs since access there is separate from that of the space below. “If we do divide it,” Stone said, “we’ll put five lofts there of various sizes. But that remains to be determined.”
The old pool tables have been sold and buyers are currently moving them to various locations, along with pool balls and cues. Vending machines line the wall.
A few other items from outside the original facility are being stored in the building for now. “I collect things like reclaimed timber from Firestone Mill,” David said. “I had a storage building in Gastonia and a sink I have here came out of that building. I save stuff like this because I can use it in other projects.”
Luckily, the other two properties the Stone’s own are currently being restored as primary residences for he and his wife, and the other for his son. As those projects near completion, I’ll be sure to share those stories.
Their company, Stonewright Properties, LLC, is owned by David, his wife Janet, and their son, Christopher. You might recognize Christopher Stone’s name from his performances in Liberty Mountain over a six-year span. The family’s love of history, historic landmarks, and all things old runs deep as is evidenced by the properties they purchase and things they collect.
David understands what is required to restore and preserve historic buildings, both commercial and residential, through his real estate work. He also sits on the Historic Shelby Foundation board.
In 2019, Stonewright Properties purchased the W.A. Mauney home at 107 N. Piedmont and the Bonnie Mauney Summers property at 1220 N. Piedmont, becoming the owners of two of the most historically significant properties in the community.
Their most recent purchase occurred on April 30 for property at 138 W. Mountain Street, formerly known as Friendly Billiards. Although, the history of this building goes back almost a century as it was the first modern theater in Kings Mountain and the first built exclusively for that purpose.
The first task Stone took on with the newly acquired building was to repair the leaky roof and address other issues related to those leaks. The ceiling downstairs was taken down to the studs and the moisture issues have now been corrected.
The building itself is equal in size to 213 S. Battleground Avenue, with approximately 10,000 square feet combined across two levels. “Our thought about this building is to divide it into two retail spaces or keep it as a single,” David Stone said. “If we keep it single, we’d love to see a general store here. We think they could use the courtyard outside for a farmers market in the little alleyway, which would be a big draw. The other idea might be a tea and spice shop”
“To me the town needs three to five good anchors. Getting anchor stores to come in is difficult, because they have to be willing to see forward with you,” he said.
It is hard to determine the exact year the theater was built, due to spotty records from that time. Cinema Treasures.com lists the theater as opening in 1930 and having 600 seats. An ad from a 1939 Herald shows the theater offered several double features: Two-Gun Troubadour and Murder on Diamond Row on Wednesday and Thursday, Riders on the Frontier and The Girl from Rio running Friday and Saturday. The feature on Monday and Tuesday was Man in the Iron Mask. All seats were 10 to 15 cents.
A 1945 map shows the property with two retail spaces at the front, and a center entrance for the theater itself. The theater was segregated, as were most of that time. Outside there were separate stairs to balcony seating. An oval sign hung high on the building and the anchors for that sign remain in the brick facade. A marquee cover sheltered guests from both summer heat and inclement weather.
While the facility has been used as a billiard hall for decades, many items from the original theater remained with the building. Bent plywood theater seats are similar to ones in Central School Auditorium remain. Restroom facilities contain the original cast iron sinks and fixtures; they don’t appear to have been updated during the life of the facility.
At the back of the first floor, the theater stage area can be seen. Countless acts performed on the stage once there, and movies played on a screen now long gone.
Upstairs, the theater had a tin ceiling; Stone plans to repurpose it in the downstairs retail space.
After the theater closed, the second floor area was closed in, completely separating it from the downstairs, but the date of that remodel is unclear.
In 1948, additional steel I-beams were added to the roof, much like what was done at 213 S. Battleground around the same time-frame. Notes made on the I beam give us the only evidence of the date of their installation.
The upstairs space has most recently been used for storage. The new owners have now cleaned out that space. All that remains is a metal fan that hangs in the center of the ceiling.
If they do decide to divide the space, Stone plans to put lofts upstairs since access there is separate from that of the space below. “If we do divide it,” Stone said, “we’ll put five lofts there of various sizes. But that remains to be determined.”
The old pool tables have been sold and buyers are currently moving them to various locations, along with pool balls and cues. Vending machines line the wall.
A few other items from outside the original facility are being stored in the building for now. “I collect things like reclaimed timber from Firestone Mill,” David said. “I had a storage building in Gastonia and a sink I have here came out of that building. I save stuff like this because I can use it in other projects.”
Luckily, the other two properties the Stone’s own are currently being restored as primary residences for he and his wife, and the other for his son. As those projects near completion, I’ll be sure to share those stories.
