Mississippi Stories: David Pharr, Jason Watkins and Robert St. John

In 1939, a movie theater was built in an outlying neighborhood of Jackson called Fondren. Originally called, The Pix, the theater closed and reopened in the 1960’s as Capri theater. In this episode of Mississippi Stories, Mississippi Today Editor-At-Large Marshall Ramsey sits down with the trio who helped bring Capri back to life. Developers David Pharr, Jason Watkins and restauranteur Robert St. John talk about how the $13 million redevelopment of the long-dormant theater came about and how it is already helping the booming Fondren neighborhood. With a combination of movies, food and bowling, The Pearl Tiki, Highball Lanes, Capri and upcoming Ed’s Restaurant show how a dream can come to life, no matter what a global pandemic can throw at it.


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Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today’s Editor-At-Large. He’s also host of a weekly statewide radio program and a television program on Mississippi Public Broadcasting and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.