Back in December 2015, Milwaukee’s historic Riverside Theater got all fancied up with a sweet new marquee and a 40-foot vertical sign. Further upgrades to the nearly 90-year-old venue followed, including new doors and carpeting, a reconstructed stage floor, and remodeled dressing rooms. Oh, and new seats! But what to do with all the old seats? Glad you asked: Earlier this morning, 60 pairs of original Riverside seats from 1927 went up for auction, with bidding starting at $200 a pair. Even better, all proceeds from the auction are going directly to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Center (MADACC). A unique and fascinating piece of history (just imagine the number of historic butts each seat has seen!) and a deserving charity? Deal.
Winning bidders will receive two original 1927 Riverside Theater chairs, complete with the original 1927 ornate cast iron end caps, and built on a 2′ x 4′ wooden base wrapped in Riverside carpet. The seat cushions, meanwhile, come wrapped in red velvet. The chairs stand three feet high, and a pair weighs roughly 120 pounds. A certificate of authenticity also accompanies the seats.
As for MADACC, the good folks at the Pabst Theater Group explain their choice of charity thusly:
If your furry companion ends up lost, they are picked up and go to MADACC where they stay until they are reclaimed or adopted. When police break up a dog-fighting ring, the dogs go to MADACC. 12,000 of Milwaukee’s unwanted, abandoned, mistreated and injured animals are rescued by MADACC every year. Even though they do some of the most important work for our city’s animals, they often fly under the radar. MADACC needs the funds and the awareness to continue to fulfill their mission of keeping our animals and city safe.
The auction is live now, and can be found here. Once the seats are gone, they’re gone.