Jess Thomas was granted a license to operate a Nickelodeon with the provision to pay a tax of $200 a year.  Nickelodeons were very popular from 1900 to1914.  They were usually located in converted storefronts. They featured short films of ten to fifteen minutes in length, popular songs, side shows and lectures.  It usually cost a nickel for a ticket, thus the name Nickelodeons.  It was the major venue where people went to see movies until more comfortable movie theaters showing feature length films began to appear.