Historical information

The Town Hall Cafe was opened by A.J. Lucas in 1894 in Swanston Street on the Capitol Theatre site. Lucas later opened the exclusive Paris Cafe on Collins Street (1904) and the famous Cafe Australia (1916) which was designed by Walter Burleigh Griffin. He became a highly successful businessman and was the founding president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society.
A.J. Lucas who was born in the village of Exoghi migrated to Australia from Ithaca in 1886.

Significance

In 1920 Lucas formed a joint venture to redevelop the site of the Town Hall Cafe into Capitol House and Capitol Theatre. Lucas once again commissioned Walter Burley Griffin and wife Marion Mahony Griffin as architects for the project. The Chicago-Gothic-style theatre is considered their greatest interior design work. The Capitol was the first extravagant ‘picture palace’ to be built in Victoria. It originally seated over 2137 people. Renowned Australian architect Robyn Boyd described The Capitol as "The best cinema that was ever built or ever likely to be built.”
Information about the refurbished Capitol http://thecapitol.tv/about/

Physical description

A sepia photograph of the exterior of a three storey Victorian style building including veranda. It was a cafe owned by A.J. Lucas. The words 'Lucas Town Hall Cafe' are formed in raised lettering across the top storey of the building. Two cars are parked in front of the building.