Project Update: The Echo Theater Marquee Celebration
On May 27, the Echo Theater’s neon marquee lit up for the first time in more than 25 years. This was an important step for the building in downtown Laurens, South Carolina, that just 9 years ago still housed a white supremacist store called “The Redneck Shop.”
The Echo Project hosted a celebration to commemorate the occasion where elected officials, leaders from the NAACP, MOA CEO Michael Allen, Rev. David Kennedy and Janice Kennedy shared words of gratitude and celebration. The New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church Choir celebrated in song.
Wal-Mart announced a $75,000 donation to commemorate the occasion.
Watch highlights from the Echo Marquee lighting celebration
Design and construction progress
The Echo Theater will ultimately become a a center for diversity, a place of remembrance, and a space for hope.
The renovation continues to progress. Asbestos has been removed from the interior of the building. MOA Architecture CEO Michael Allen completed conceptual floor plans prior to the start of demolition, which is now almost complete.
The Echo Theater is well on its way to becoming a beacon of light in downtown Laurens. We will share updates as the project continues to evolve.