Carla Eckels / KMUW
The NoMar Theater in Wichita s North End goes up for auction Friday, and residents in the predominantly Latino neighborhood are hoping to save the landmark building.
The NoMar Theatre at 21st and Market
Credit Nadya Faulx / KMUW
The theater, with its distinct Spanish-style architecture, was once home to movies and live musical performances. It opened in 1929 at 21st and Market, and closed in 1983.
J Basham owns the building with his brothers; their late father owned it before them. Basham tried to revive the theater a decade ago, but didn’t get much traction.
“What we were trying to do is raise the money to get the theater, then restore it,” he said. “We thought we could really have a true performing arts center.”