Cinema joins remodeling boom
By BRENDA ALLUMS news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

After nearly 20 years, 4 Star Cinema is getting a facelift.

Owner Byron Berkley, said about $150,000 is being put into the building to "give it a more modern look."

The cinema owner said construction on a new facade will be completed in about two weeks.

The remodeling at 4 Star is the most recent in a series of remodeling projects transforming downtown Kilgore's business district. Other major projects have been completed or are underway on Kilgore Street, Longview Street and at the old Winn-Dixie store.

"We've also enlarged the customer service area," Berkley said. "The lobby is larger and we've remodeled the concession stands."

Berkley, who has owned the cinema for 18 years, said this is the first time the building has had any major remodeling since it was built.

Original owners of the building and cinema were Charles Ringler and Robert McMurray, two Kilgore businessmen. They sold the business to Berkley after having someone else operate it theater for two years.

"We first took over as operators and then bought the business," Berkley said.

Berkley, whose company is known as Foothills Entertainment, has cinemas in five other locations in Texas including Henderson, Jacksonville, Orange, Lake Worth (Ft. Worth) and Mineral Wells.

A formal ribbon cutting is being planned by the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce and will be scheduled after the work is completed.