A place with ‘soul’: Naro cinema operators passing business to longtime managers after 49 years

A place with ‘soul’: Naro cinema operators passing business to longtime managers after 49 years

by | Mar 10, 2026 | Home-Page, Tench's Topics

(REPRINTED FROM THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT)
Staff headshots at Expansive Center in downtown Norfolk, Virginia on Jan. 25, 2023. Colin Warren-Hicks

By  | colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com | Staff writer
PUBLISHED:  | UPDATED: 

Its name appears as a buzzing glow of four tall letters, blazing red atop a marquee: N A R O. Naro Expanded Cinema’s art deco facade has helped to illuminate Colley Avenue’s main drag every night, bolstering the aesthetic and charm of Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood for decades. And nothing — its soon-to-be new owners assert — is going to change. The place has too much “soul,” they say. It’ll be kept.

“I feel like we have a responsibility to the neighborhood to keep this place running, and we need to be here,” Kate Loftis said. “We need the neighborhood. The neighborhood needs us.”

Naro Minded: The Duo Who Defined a Neighborhood

Naro Minded: The Duo Who Defined a Neighborhood

by | Feb 13, 2026 | Home-Page, Tench's Topics

(Tench Phillips and Thom Vourlas share a laugh and popcorn outside the Naro Expanded Cinema. Photo by Jeff Maisey.)

(REPRINTED FROM VEER MAGAZINE)
By Jim Roberts

Tench Phillips III and Thom Vourlas were featured on WTAR News in August of 1977—about two weeks before they opened the Naro Expanded Cinema on Colley Avenue in Norfolk. “We feel like the only place for this type of cinema is in Ghent,” Vourlas said at the time, “because Ghent is growing. … Colley Avenue seems to be coming back alive. 21st Street is going to be rebuilding. We have townhouses going up in the neighborhood. We feel like this is the only place it can happen.” Little did they know the role their theater would play in sustaining that growth—or that 49 years later, they would receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ghent Business Association… 

Remembering Tim Cooper

by | Jul 26, 2025 | Home-Page, Tench's Topics

To his many longtime friends and fans of the Naro Video Store, we are sad to inform you that Tim Cooper has passed away after a protracted illness.
Tim was a dedicated cineaste, film critic, and writer – and along with his wife Linda McGreevy, Ph.D., they accumulated a vast collection of video titles that rivaled any store on the East Coast. They generously donated their entire collection to the ODU Library archive after the store closed in 2019.
Many in the Ghent community cherish personal memories of frequenting Naro Video over the years and receiving such an exhaustive film education from Tim and his knowledgeable staff. We will all deeply miss Tim’s impish humor, keen intellect, and authenticity.

Passing of Charles Plant

by | Apr 11, 2025 | Home-Page, Tench's Topics

It’s with a heavy heart that we wanted to let our loyal Naro patrons know that Charles Plant, our long-time “box office guy” passed away unexpectedly on April 10th. Charles had been our reliable staff member for over 45 years. Soft spoken yet quite opinionated, Charles was an expert historian, avid reader, and loyal St. Louis Cardinals fan. He will be sorely missed by all. The Naro will never be the same without his presence. May his memory be eternal.

Passing of William Laderberg

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Home-Page, Tench's Topics

William Laderberg, 1949-2024Longtime Naro friend and supporter William Laderberg passed this week. William worked for years as a manager of Naro Video and on Sunday mornings he enjoyed his role as one of the Film Forum hosts at Naro Cinema. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of European art films and American independents…