Two DeBaliviere businesses, one of them a long-time establishment, closed their doors at least temporarily in recent weeks.
The Bettendorf Supermarket in the 500 block was closed when the Bettendorf-Rapp chain changed hands. The Apollo Art Theatre, which has occupied its present spot in the 300 block of DeBaliviere for more than twenty-five years, is currently not operating.
The supermarket was not included in the recent purchase of Bettendorf stores by Schnucks’ Markets. Instead, it ceased operation on October 10th and the property is currently being offered for sale by the Bettendorf-Rapp Division of Allied Supermarkets, Inc.
At press time no one was available at Bettendorf-Rapp to comment on the closing but local businessmen attribute it to the store’s low profit record, caused, some say, by the unusually high rate of shoplifting at the store.
A spokesman for the Apollo Art Theatre reported that plans are being made for the theatre but nothing could be announced at this time. It was emphasized that few complaints of actual crime had ever been reported by theatre patrons, but that the local reputation of DeBaliviere as a high crime area, coupled with the community’s lack of patronage for many of the films exhibited, made the future uncertain.
Originally published in The Paper, December 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_12.pdf, printed page(s) 1.
