A second act for small-town stage: Mount Pleasant unveils Avett Theater project
What ultimately convinced Mount Pleasant to revive the town’s long-vacant Paula Theater wasn’t a business plan — it was a music video.
When The Avett Brothers filmed their “Orion’s Belt” video inside the shell of the empty 1948 theater a year and a half ago, Dr. Allen Dobson said the building’s future suddenly became obvious: “That experience of them recording that … it just said that’s what this place needs to be.”
Now the building is set to become The Avett Theater, a 634-seat live-music and performing arts venue backed by a $3.75 million fundraising campaign and a nonprofit group of Mount Pleasant business leaders.
The project, announced Thursday, will transform the 13,000-square-foot downtown structure into a mid-sized venue aimed at filling what Dobson says is a significant void between small clubs and large arenas in the region. The theater also is the latest piece in a broader downtown revitalization effort led by Dobson and his partners, who have restored multiple historic buildings in Mount Pleasant.
Construction on The Avett Theater is expected to begin in 2026, with an opening planned for 2027.
Dobson told The Charlotte Observer on Thursday that the Avett family — whose roots in Mount Pleasant date back to 1947 — has been involved since the earliest planning stages, with Jim Avett serving on the board of the nonprofit Mt. Pleasant Theatre, Inc.
While Jim’s sons Scott and Seth remain on the road touring as The Avett Brothers, Dobson said the two musicians are fully aware of the project and supportive of lending their family name to the venue, and he believes that “their name lets people know the quality of stuff we’re going to be having in this theater.”
Organizers say the venue will host nationally touring artists, regional performers and local acts, while also serving as a flexible, multi-use space for community events. Although the theater will have 634 fixed seats, the design could also allow for standing-room configurations depending on the type of event.
The capital campaign aimed at funding the restoration launched with a $250,000 lead gift from Uwharrie Bank. Dobson said early community response has been strong, and he is confident the full $3.75 million goal will be reached.
But “we’ll probably start construction even before all the money’s raised,” he said. “We’re totally committed to seeing this through.”
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 10:34 AM with the headline "A second act for small-town stage: Mount Pleasant unveils Avett Theater project."
