The Byrd Theatre just finished one of its biggest upgrades yet: Brand-new seats.
Why it matters: Gone are the days of squeezing into seats built for smaller moviegoers in 1928, when the Byrd first opened.
Driving the news: The theater wrapped up its years-long project to make the seats comfier and up to five inches wider last week.
- For months, the Byrd had been balcony-only seating — which were upgraded earlier this year — while crews replaced the side sections downstairs.
- Ben Cronly, the Byrd’s executive director, told BizSense the temporary loss of the usual seating slowed down business this summer.
- Now, they’re back to full capacity.
Fun fact: Cronly told BizSense that improving the Byrd’s seats has been the most-asked-for upgrade from visitors…