This building on the southeast corner of North A and Eighth Streets opened in December 1869 as the Lyceum Hall. It was built by the Lyceum Hall Stock Company, also known as the Progressive Lyceum and Library Association or the Friends of Progress. It was a group of Spiritualists, and the hall was built for the purpose of "free discussion of spiritualism."

In an era when one of the most popular forms of entertainment was the lecture, the Lyceum Hall was Richmond's primary venue for traveling speakers. Over the years it played host to such luminaries as Mark Twain in 1872 and Tom Thumb's Circus in 1877.

In 1878 the hall became an the Grand Opera House and in 1895 it was remodeled and named the Bradley Opera House after its new owner. But on September 1, 1898, the Bradley was destroyed by a massive fire. The site remained unused for a year until Clarence Gennett, of the Starr Piano Company, bought the property and had a new theatre built. The Gennett Theatre opened on December 22, 1899.