Built in 1917 following the great fire of downtown Augusta, the theatre opened as the Wells Theatre, “Augusta’s Theatre Beautiful” offering amazing acts from vaudeville, silent movies and hosting such Hollywood greats as Charlie Chaplin. The Imperial marquee has been a downtown landmark for Augusta residents, representing the best in entertainment. However due to a Spanish flu outbreak, the Wells Theatre was forced to close in late 1918. Acquired by Lynch Enterprises, it was renamed to The Imperial Theatre and re-opened in late 1919 and was one of the first buildings in the downtown area to have air-conditioning. The front portion was occupied until the 1970’s by Snappy’s, a popular downtown burger restaurant, and the second floor of the building was originally home to the Western Union offices.