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Rogue Theater mourned 1930s moviehouse closed last month for lack of profits The Associated Press GRANTS PASS -- The smell of popcorn, Jade East cologne and Chanel No. 5 perfume take Carl Wilson back to a time when the Rogue Theater was the place to take a girl for good movie, and maybe a stolen kiss. Built in the 1930s, the theater was an entrance to another world with its mirrored foyer, opera chairs, lavish balconies and walls covered with royal blue silk damask tapestry. Now, Wilson says he's sad to see its grandeur faded along with the stars whose films once topped the marquee. The theater was shut down last month by owner John Schweiger, the largest independent movie theater operator in the Pacific Northwest, because it could no longer turn a profit. "I don't know of any one-screen theaters still showing movies," Schweiger said. "It's a thing of the past. You just can't allow your heart to lead your mind." Area residents, like Wilson, who remember the theater in its heyday, say they are devastated at the loss. "I am sorry that the theater closed down, because it's like another piece of old Grants Pass is gone," said Rose Scott, executive director of the Josephine County Historical Society. "That's always sad." Dan Williamson, who watched movies at the Rogue for four decades, remembers cartoons shown on closed curtains, signaling to the audience that the movie was about to start. "It's a part of not only my childhood, but of what the town is," he says. Some old theaters, such as The Baghdad in Portland, have transformed into over-21 theaters that show classic box office hits and serve spirits. Others, like the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater in downtown Medford, have gone through extensive renovations to become performance theaters. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA