Since October 2004 our theatre pipe organ has been stored in a climate controlled warehouse.   Originally installed in the Uptown Theatre in Louisville Kentucky, Opus 531 spent 40 years at a church in Tell City Indiana after being removed from the theatre.   After spending the next 25 years in dirty unheated storage, the organ needed to acclimate to a temperature controlled environment.

For the past 4 years the organ has been stored free of charge through the generosity of Lester Lee, Bill Nalle and their company Maxim Global.    Due to an expansion in their product offerings, they informed us they will be utilizing 100% of their available space.    The organ needed to move.  

The Strand and the Central Indiana Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society thanks Lester, Bill and all their employees for caring for our organ.    The organ was transferred on August 26, 2008 to another heated warehouse that currently stores the Oriental Theatre Opus 512 organ.  This facility is also provided free of charge to the Strand.

Chris Clark, forklift driver extraordiniare; Gary Nolley, Bob Schlick, DeP Ewing and Wayne Rose joined David Finkel in moving the organ.   Fortunately the entire organ is palletized, so moving isn’t that difficult.     LaCap Container of Shelbyville provided a dock height truck to help with the move.   Pat Huesman from LaCap assisted as we took two loads across town to the new storage facility.    Thank you to Jerry, Roy, Pat and the gang at LaCap for providing our transportation.

The organ is safe and sound at is new location.   As work on the theatre progresses, the organ will start its rebuilding process under the direction of Carlton B. Smith of Carlton Smith Pipe Organ Restorations.     This organ is financially endowed by a generous gift from the Shelby County Historical Society.

Below are Bill and David just before the console is loaded on the truck:

The Strand Theatre, Shelbyville Indiana.   Theatre Pipe Organ.  Uniphone.