Crews are back at work inside the Historic Daisy Theater on Beale Street, moving scaffolding and shoring up the facade after an electrical fire shut the landmark down in June 2025. Owner Lucille Catron says both the City of Memphis and the theater's insurance company have now signed off on a renovation plan, and workers were visible at the building this week. It is the clearest sign so far that a century-old Beale Street staple is on track to return to active use.
Renovation cleared by city and insurer
As reported by Daily Memphian, the Old Daisy at 329 Beale St. has been closed since June 2025. Catron told the outlet that renovation plans have been given the go-ahead by both the City of Memphis and the building's insurer. The report included fresh photos of crews working on the exterior as early stabilization and repair efforts get underway.
Fire origins and interior damage
According to Action News 5, Memphis Fire Department investigators determined that the June 18, 2025 fire began in the stage area and was electrical in nature. The outlet reported that the blaze damaged much of the interior, including the stage and nearby offices. No injuries were reported.
City lease and Beale Street's long game
City records show the property is owned by the City of Memphis and is covered by a new 50-year lease to the Beale Street Development Corporation, spanning space at 323 and 329 Beale, effective July 1, 2025. Per City of Memphis documents, the lease approval is part of a broader effort to preserve and present Beale Street's history while returning the Old Daisy to a managed civic role.
Council support and neighborhood stakes
The council action, along with plans to use the building as an interpretive center, was reported last summer by the Tri-State Defender, which noted that the move was folded into a settlement that resolved a long-running dispute over master leases on Beale Street. Local preservation advocates have pushed for years to protect the theater's historic character while updating its systems to meet modern codes.
What neighbors can expect next
Catron has kept her intentions public. In a July 2025 post in the University of Memphis archive she wrote, "She's coming back. Oh, yes." According to existing reporting and city records, no firm reopening date has been set, and the pace of construction will hinge on insurance payments, required permits, and the scope of historic restoration. For now, neighbors and history buffs are left watching the scaffolding and hoping the work keeps the Old Daisy's century-old presence firmly rooted on Beale.
