Luxor Theater (1928-1969)
In 1928, A. van Berkel built a large auditorium behind his café (Putstraat entrance). Architect was A.J.N. (Janus) Snijers from Raamsdonkveer and contractor W. van Heesch. In the same year the 'Florabioscoop' in Musis Sacrum (Grotestraat 279) was discontinued because Wim Govaerts moved into this newly built hall, which was festively opened on January 27, 1929 and named the 'New Cinema'. Govaerts repeatedly got into trouble with the municipal (Catholic) film inspection commission, set up in 1928 to enforce the new cinema law. He showed films banned by the commission, which led to suspensions. By 1930, cinema owner Van Berkel was fed up with the situation. The film commission revoked Govaerts' license and granted it to Van Berkel. The "New Cinema" was renamed the "Luxor Theater. The theater was operated by three generations of Van Berkel until 1966.Since 1948, Mechie Trommelen had a butcher shop on the Hoekeinde. This location became too small after numerous years; a renovation was not a solution to his space problem. He looked for a suitable location for new premises. When he got wind of the fact that Van Berkel would stop operating his café and the accompanying Luxor cinema as of July 31, 1966, the deal was quickly done.
Luxorama 10
On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Stichting Jeugdbelangen and "De Terp," a celebration was held in the vacant Luxor Theater on September 27, 28 and 29, 1968. Mayor J.L.P.M. Teijssen opened the grand party, called "Luxorama 10. Part of the hall was used as a stage, on which many amateur orchestras could put their best foot forward. The whole thing was conceived and executed by Mr. Wim Suermondt, assisted by the board of the Foundation for Youth Interests. Immediately after Luxorama passed, demolition of the building began.
EMTÉ Supermarket
It was originally planned to build a supermarket on the site where the Luxor cinema stood. However, in close consultation with Mr. J. Kobben, director of municipal works, it was decided to exchange the Luxor plot for the largely undeveloped land on the opposite side. On this corner were still two houses, which were demolished.
Trommelen was able to build a "huge supermarket" there with a large parking lot and a service station. This transaction enabled the municipality to reconstruct the extremely obscure Grotestraat-Putstraat intersection.
The former Luxor cinema, an eyesore for many a motorist, was demolished in 1969, and the new EM TÉ supermarket was opened on September 9, 1969 by H. Reimer, director general of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Together with his three sons and son-in-law, Mechie Trommelen built up the family business in the following years.
