February 18, 1948 – Iowa City movie mogul Thomas A. (Buster) Brown passes away at age 73.
Thomas A. (Buster) Brown opened a Smoke House – a store specializing in cigars – on South Clinton Street, and from everything we can find, became a very successful businessman, having his caricature (see above left) and story listed in the 1906 business directory – Our Live Ones – Iowa City – produced by the Iowa City Commercial Club.
In 1907, Brown became Iowa City’s first movie house manager … opening his own movie house – Brown’s Nickeldom at 128 E. Washington Street. In 1916, Buster added to his movie empire by opening the state-of-the-art Strand Theatre on the southwest corner of College and Dubuque Street – 129 E. College Street – just across the street from The Pastime Theatre.
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