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 it the Paramount Theater.

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

Thanks to support from the City of Kinston, Lenoir County, Downtown Kinston Revitalization, VisitKinston, and many others, the marquee has been updated and the building's exterior repaired. It features the original Paramount lettering. Once again, the lights shine bright along Queen St., and the theater was recently showcased as the backdrop for Kinston's annual Christmas parade.

Volunteers are beginning the next phase of the project: clean out and preparation of the building's interior.

Your donation helps move this project forward. Be part of the Paramount's next act!

The Paramount Project