Mar
4
Old ballroom to get new life
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By: Melissa Dunbar-Gates, Today’s THV
A famous old ballroom on top of the Arkansas Flag and Banner building in downtown Little Rock will soon be renovated.
THV’s Melissa Dunbar-Gates took a tour and spoke with building owner Kerry McCoy.
A non-profit group has been established to revive the facility; but they have a long way to go.
The room has incredible history. Can’t you just see a packed house, a full dance floor, and hear the trumpets of Luis Armstrong blaring. This room has been all kinds of things.
Originally built in the late 1800′s, it served as an African American USO club in both world wars; according to building owner McCoy a black fraternity used it to house women and children here in the great depression.
McCoy says, “I’ve had offers to turn it into a restaurant, turn it into apartments, to make a school out of it, but I’ve refused them all because I think it needs to stay exactly like it is be an event center for the community to use.”
According to McCoy the whole 9th Street corridor, where her building sits, used to be known as Little Rock’s “Little Harlem.” she said the street was lined with African America owned businesses on one side, and homes on the other side; and it is inside that old ballroom that African America entertainers came to play.
McCoy says, “A lot of the entertainers would perform at Robinson hall for the white people then stay in the hotel right next door and come up here to the ballroom and jam all night long.”
McCoy says, “I don’t want to do one single thing to it except make it safe and get an elevator up here. I want it to look exactly how it does.”
McCoy’s non-profit group needs more than a million dollars for the renovation. For a price you can have your name put on one of the box seats above the stage, or can have your name put on the stage, or the balcony in the back; and be a part of bringing the music and dancing back to the dreamland ballroom.
You can help make the Dreamland Ballroom renovation a reality by logging onto its website. There you can buy a brick for the new front sidewalk. Your name will be engraved in your brick.
Click Here to see the Video!
Mar
1
LR fundraiser among steps to revive historic ballroom
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By L. Lamor Williams, Arkansas Democrat Gazette
LITTLE ROCK — A fundraiser for the Dreamland Ballroom didn’t go so well Saturday, but that didn’t dampen the spirit of a group working to raise $50,000 to restore the historic venue that’s hosted such icons as Duke Ellington, Etta James, Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald.
“I forgot about the Razorbacks game,” Kerry McCoy said, laughing and slapping her forehead with her palm. “We’re going to swap out our PowerPoint presentation on Dreamland for the game.”
McCoy owns Arkansas Flag and Banner, which takes up the first two floors of 800 W. Ninth St. in Little Rock. She bought the historic building in 1992 and has been trying to restore the Dreamland Ballroom on the building’s third and top floor.
The ballroom was a social hub in segregated Little Rock when Ninth Street was home to a thriving black business district. Then, McCoy’s building was known as Taborian Hall.
McCoy said she’d hoped to have the ballroom reopened by 2000 but realized that she’d never be able to afford it on her own. Now, the nonprofit Friends of Dreamland board is working to raise money and restore the facility.
She said the $50,000 is to install sturdy hardwood flooring so that fund raising events can be held in the space. Saturday’s event was to feature paid tours of the historic venue, but only a handful of people stopped by between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the tours were offered.
“The reason I love the Dreamland Ballroom is because it’s the only building like it in Little Rock. I’ve had offers to turn it into apartments, a club, a school, but it really needs to stay an event center open to the public. There’s been times when I thought ‘boy I wish I’d gone ahead and turned it into apartments’ because I know events centers aren’t real profitable. But I’ve got a lot of energy, and I’m willing to put all that energy into making it work.”
Ann McCoy, Kerry’s mother-in-law said, while standing in the front hallway near the store, that the building has already come a long way.
“There used to be a big hole all the way through,” she said, noting that a person could see from the third floor down to the first through the opening. “My favorite thing now is the views from the big windows. You can see the Capitol building, Philander Smith [College], it just has a beautiful view.”
Today, the floor is covered with plywood panels, some not completely secured. The walls have peeling paint and exposed brick, and some of the 1930s-style architecture is still evident along the box seats and molding above the stage in the 8,000-square-foot space.
Kerry McCoy said she mailed 1,000 invitations to the event and invited another 400people via the online networking Web site Facebook. She said several people pledged donations but didn’t attend.
Information on how to donate or schedule a tour, and receive a history of the facility, is available at dreamlandballroom.com. Among the opportunities is purchasing a brick for $100 that will be engraved with the donor’s name and used to pave the walkway to the ballroom.
“We just need 500 people” to buy bricks, Kerry McCoy said. “But, hey, we’ll take what we can get. There’s not a single person that doesn’t come up here and see the Dreamland and fall in love with it. And I hope we can get some really community-minded people behind it. I love to tour it. I never get tired of showing the Dreamland Ballroom to people.”
This article was published February 28, 2010 at 6:04 a.m.
Arkansas, Pages 1 & 5 on 02/28/2010
Here is a link to the video that accompanied the story on Arkansasonline.com – VIDEO HERE
Feb
22
FM 98.1 KUAR (NPR) interviewed Kerry about the flag poles we custom made for the Vancouver Olympics! Be sure to listen this week for the interview.
The poles are in the back ground of the picture above. There were a total of 85 flag poles throughout the Olympic venues.
Feb
22
Want to see where Cab Calloway played in Little Rock???
Filed Under AFB Press Releases, AFB's Philanthropy, Current Events, Dreamland Ballroom | Leave a Comment
Then come and tour the Dreamland Ballroom Saturday, February 27, anytime between 11:00-3:00 p.m.
YOU’RE INVITED to take part in restoring a “Little Rock’n” treasure- The Dreamland Ballroom. Get in on the ground floor; buy a brick and tour the Dreamland Ballroom “in the rough.”
Your purchase of a brick is your invitation to ALL of Dreamland’s in-progress parties and pave the way to Dreamland Ballroom entrance.
TOURS are Saturday, February 27, anytime between 11:00 and 3:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
This fundraising campaign benefits the renovation of the Dreamland Ballroom. Be a part of the Friends of Dreamland’s way cool project by purchasing a custom engraved brick. The sale of these bricks will afford a safe floor for our upcoming events.
More about the Friends of Dreamland -
The “Friends of Dreamland” is a newly formed non-profit group dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the historic landmark, Taborian Hall and its famous Dreamland Ballroom located on the third floor of 800 West Ninth Street in Little Rock, Arkansas… the home of Arkansas Flag and Banner.
And our Mission Statement really means what it says:
“Friends of Dreamland are committed to bringing back the Music, the History, and the Party of the Dreamland Ballroom!”
“Friends of Dreamland” is incorporated in the State of Arkansas as a non-profit organization. Our 501(c)(3) application is in process with the Federal government. Your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
For more information and to RSVP to this event email: friends@dreamlandballroom.com
Did you get to see the Dreamland Ballroom on KARK Channel 4?
KARK came out last Sunday, February 14, to the West Little Rock Barnes and Noble to video the Friends of Dreamland Ballroom book fair fundraiser. Barnes and Noble donated 10% of its proceeds from anyone who mentioned “Friends of Dreamland Ballroom.”
Check out the video on KARK’s website.
Feb
9
Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com has a presence at the Vancouver Olympics
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Little Rock, AR – February 9, 2010 – The Winter Olympics is bringing money to Arkansas. Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com in Little Rock provided 65 flag poles for use around several of the event’s locations.
Kerry McCoy, owner of Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com says, “My husband, Grady, worked with the Vancouver Olympic committee to buy the flagpoles. Look for them at the alpine course, the freestyle skiing course, and throughout the snowboarding events.”
The flagpoles Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com provided were custom made for the Olympics. The mounting brackets and other hardware were also custom made.
Kerry McCoy says, “It’s always fun to see your products on TV and it’s nice that we could make their short delivery time and custom specifications. There aren’t a lot of companies with our expertise.”
Arkansas Flag and Banner was established in 1975. Its headquarters are in Little Rock, AR with 25 employees.
For more information about the many products Arkansas’ FlagandBanner.com provides, log on to FlagandBanner.com, become a fan of FlagandBanner.com on Facebook, or call one of their experts at 1-800-445-0653.
For information: http://www.flagandbanner.com or
Contact: kerry@flagandbanner.com
Phone: 1-800-445-0653
# # #
Feb
3
Want to Know Where Cab Callaway Played in Little Rock?
Filed Under AFB's Community Service, Current Events, Dreamland Ballroom | Leave a Comment
Come hear more at Barnes and Noble on Sunday, February 14th 2010
February 3, 2010
Little Rock, AR – The Friends of Dreamland Ballroom, the non-profit group dedicated to the restoration of the historic Dreamland Ballroom is telling their story at the Barnes and Noble on Financial Center Parkway on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, 2010, from 1-5 pm.
There will be period music, reading by local author Berna Love from her soon to be released book about the historic Dreamland Ballroom, and some original story telling by local history buffs.
Kerry McCoy, Chairman of the Friends of Dreamland says, “Barnes and Noble is gracious enough to let us come out and tell the story of the Dreamland Ballroom and 10% of all purchases made by folks who mention the Dreamland Ballroom at checkout will go to the Friends of Dreamland Ballroom’s restoration project.”
More about the Friends of Dreamland Ballroom-
The Friends of Dreamland is a newly formed non-profit group dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the historic landmark, Taborian Hall and its famous Dreamland Ballroom located at 800 West Ninth Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. Concurrent goals include the collection, conservation, and celebration of Taborian’s unique history relating to Arkansas’ African American heritage. Friends of Dreamland incorporated in the State of Arkansas July 31, 2009. We plan to do most of our fundraising in 2010, and begin renovations 2011, our projected Grand Opening 2012.
For information: http://www.dreamlandballroom.com
Contact: friends@dreamlandballroom.com
Facebook: Dreamland Ballroom
Contact Person: Kerry McCoy
Phone: 501-255-5700
Jan
21
Friends of Dreamland Starts its First Fundraising Campaign – “Pave The Way!”
Filed Under AFB's Philanthropy, Current Events, Dreamland Ballroom | Leave a Comment
January 20, 2010
Little Rock, AR – The Friends of Dreamland Ballroom, the non-profit group dedicated to the restoration of the historic Dreamland Ballroom
is excited to announce their first fundraising campaign – Pave the Way.
They will be selling custom engraved bricks that will be placed at the entrance of the ballroom. They have two sizes available; a 4×8 inch brick that holds 65 characters and an 8×8 that holds 120 characters. A $100 donation gets the smaller brick and the larger can be had for a donation of $250.
Kerry McCoy, President of the Friends of Dreamland says, “We think the ‘Pave the Way’ campaign is a great way to get the local community involved in this great project. We would love to see the names of people that have a connection to the history of this building lining the sidewalk up to the front door”.
More about the Friends of Dreamland-
The Friends of Dreamland is a newly formed non-profit group dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the historic landmark, Taborian Hall and its famous Dreamland Ballroom located at 800 West Ninth Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. Concurrent goals include the collection, conservation, and celebration of Taborian’s unique history relating to Arkansas’ African American heritage.
Friends of Dreamland incorporated in the State of Arkansas July 31, 2009. We plan to do most of our fundraising in 2010, and begin renovations 2011, our projected Grand Opening 2012.
For information: http://www.dreamlandballroom.com
Contact: friends@dreamlandballroom.com
Contact Person: Kerry McCoy
Phone: 501-255-5700
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Dec
22
The folks over at Today’s THV did a story on the health care bill currently making its way through the legislative process and came by to ask us our opinion. The focus of the story was how health care reform will affect small business.
Go here to read the article and view the video –
NOTE: The video is on the right!
Dec
7
FlagandBanner.com on Facebook!
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Take a look at our new Facebook page! We will be using it to communicate last minute specials as well as keeping you abreast of all the flag stuff you need to know about. Click on the image below…
Nov
12
Veteran’s Day Open House
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Little Rock, AR – On Veteran’s Day, November 11th Arkansas Flag and Banner held an open house and free chicken dinner (lunch) for veterans. We served fried chicken, potato salad, rolls, and apple pie
We had a great turn out with veterans representing every service and several campaigns.
We want to thank you again for your service to this great country we call home!
AFB Staff