Chehalis Theater
 Chehalis Theater, November 2021 | |
 | |
| Former names | Beau Arts Building, Pix Theater |
|---|---|
| Address | 558 N Market Blvd Chehalis, Washington United States of America |
| Coordinates | 46°39′57″N 122°58′14″W / 46.66583°N 122.97056°W |
| Parking | Street |
| Owner | McFiler's Supernaut LLC |
| Capacity | 450 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Film, live entertainment, and cuisine |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1923 |
| Opened | December 7, 1938 |
| Renovated | 1938, 1954, 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| Website | |
| mcfilerschehalistheater | |
The Chehalis Theater, also as the Chehalis Theatre, is a single-screen, Art Deco movie theater in Chehalis, Washington. The theater is situated at the north end of the Chehalis Historic Downtown District near the Hotel Washington. Known locally for the hand-painted illustrations of popular children's fantasy characters that once populated the ceiling,[1] it is the only surviving movie house in the city.
Since the theater's last renovation that began in 2021, it has been renamed McFiler's Chehalis Theater.
History
Theater history in Chehalis
There were numerous early movie houses in Chehalis at the beginning of the 20th century. Early theaters such as the Bell, the Dream, Orpheum, St. Helens, and the Vaudette were located in the historic downtown area.
The Empress and the New Liberty Theaters
The Empress opened on May 10, 1913.[2] The proprietors charged ten-cents and it was an entertainment venue for photoplays and live music.[3]
The showing of the 1916 flim, Purity, led to a threat of a warrant after the movie was deemed immoral; the Empress did not present the film further.[4] A Kimball two-manual pipe organ, built by the Johnson Pipe Company of Los Angeles, was installed in 1917.[5][6]
In 1918, the Empress Theater name was changed in favor of the New Liberty Theater during a renovation. The viewing area was enlarged after the upper story of the building was torn out to provide a balcony for an opera-style arrangement.[7][8] The occupancy was increased to 500, which included spring cushioned seating, considered modern at the time. Installed during the renovation was an intricate, coordinated lighting system and the remodeled movie house was noted for its colored glass panels and stucco reliefs. The Liberty officially opened on July 11, 1918 with ownership eventually transferring to a local theater business, the Twin City Theatres Corporation. The Liberty remained in operation until the summer of 1926, when it was destroyed in a fire.[9]
St. Helens Theater
The building used as the St. Helens Theater was originally utilized as a Ford dealership that also provided a gas station. The brick-and-tile Italian Renaissance style theater, after a $100,000 renovation, opened on May 12, 1924 and had an occupancy of 850 and was home to a Kimball organ.[10][11][12] The first film shown was Sporting Youth.[11] While the movie house presented films, it was used as well for live theatrical performances. The theater closed in 1954[13] and the balcony sealed off and converted to office space.[10]
The site was remodeled beginning in 2008 and converted into a rental venue that restored large parts of the original theater footprint and fixtures.[10] A ghost sign for the Chehalis Bee-Nugget newspaper was found during the remodel and was preserved.[14]
The Vaudette
The Vaudette was a short-lived movie house, existing for five months from late 1908 to early 1909. Charging a ten-cent admission, the theater was part of a regional branch of theaters and provided opera-style seating.[15][16][17]
History of the Chehalis Theater
A wood structure that housed a horse livery occupied the site as far back as 1907.[18] The building was constructed in 1923 and was originally named the Beau Arts Building.[19][20] First home to a Ford car dealership, the location became known as St. John's Garage[19] and the Chehalis Garage.[13] A pipe organ was initially installed but was relocated and rebuilt after an unknown time to a church in Fremont, Seattle.[21] After the structure was renovated to become a movie house, it opened on December 7, 1938, as the Pix Theater, seating 653;[19][20] the first film shown was Bob Hope's Thanks for the Memory.[22] The theater's original decor included silk lined, fleur-de-lis accented walls, velour seats, and women had access to a cosmetic room.[18]
Typically shown at the theater during its early beginnings were a sequence of newsreels, cartoons, and westerns.[23]
The building sustained damage during the 1949 Olympia earthquake but continued to operate.[13] It was named Chehalis Theater in 1954 after a brief renovation begun the year before.[18][19][a] A marquee from the St. Helen's Theater in Chehalis would be added to the building facade in the 1950s.[24] Films would be projected until 1988 when, due to economic hardships and maintenance backlogs, the theater shut down and became a video rental store named Video Time. After the theater was sold in 1994, it hosted a flea market.[19]
The independent movie, The Immigrant Garden, premiered at the theater in 2001.[25] There were brief periods of screening films into 2008, including some new releases, when the location ceased operations until 2016 due to competition with a larger, upgraded cinema at the Lewis County Mall.[19][23][26][27]
In 2003, the Chehalis Historic Preservation Commission awarded the Chehalis Theater with a listing and plaque recognizing the historical importance, and restoration efforts, of the movie house.[18]
2016 and 2018 renovations
The first renovation began in 2016 after a new owner leased the building to a local proprietor. The theater contained original and antique film machinery, including a toilet in the projection room, and the balcony was intact.[13] The restorations focused on reviving and saving much of the Art Deco style,[20] while adding an upstairs bar, dining area, and kitchen. The theater began film showings, and added musical acts and screenings of Seattle Seahawks games for residents.[23] The cartoon murals on the ceiling, added at an unknown time but not original to the theater, were preserved owing to the community support for the work. The occupancy was listed as 285.[13]
In late 2018, a new lease agreement with a local Chehalis family led to additional renovations. The owners continued to screen movies and provide live musical entertainment while concentrating on pizza as the main cuisine option.[28]
2021 renovations and reopening
In 2020, a local restaurateur bought the theater and started the third restoration in five years in 2021. Renaming the location as McFiler's Chehalis Theater, early plans included a reopening later that year or early 2022, with the expectation to continue to screen movies while providing restaurant dining and live entertainment. Adhering to ADA requirements and new building codes, extensive remodeling was done to large portions of the theater, including a modified marquee. The ceiling illustrations were to be painted over but photographed and displayed along with antique equipment from the building.[1]
The theater had a soft opening in late 2022,[1] and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in March 2023.[29] The theater, since its reopening, has hosted events tied to the 75th anniversary of the Kenneth Arnold UFO sighting[30] and a symposium on Bigfoot that included speaker Cliff Barackman.[31] The theater hosted the first Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest in 2023, coinciding with the city's Flying Saucer Party.[32]
As of 2023[update], the Chehalis Theater listed an occupancy of 450[33] and was opened to fine dining, comedy shows, musical performances, charity events, live televised sports, and film presentations.
Notes
- ^ There are conflicting reports that the name change may have occurred in 1958, but the vast majority of publications refer to 1954.
References
- ^ a b c Fitzgerald, Emily (June 16, 2021). "Renovations Ramp Up at McFiler's Chehalis Theater". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (October 9, 1914). "The Empress Anniversary". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 4. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (December 12, 1913). "Who's Who In Our Fair City". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 4. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (October 20, 1916). "Purity Vs. 'Purity'". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 8. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (April 6, 1917). "Empress Pipe Organ Here". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (April 20, 1917). "Big Pipe Organ Now In Use". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 3. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (May 3, 1918). "The New Liberty Theater". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 9. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (April 19, 1918). "To Modernize The Empress". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 1. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ Flom, Eric L. (December 5, 2007). "The Liberty Theatre in Chehalis opens on July 11, 1918". HistoryLink. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c Tomtas, Justyna (March 21, 2017). "Former St. Helens Theatre in Chehalis to Open as Event Center". The Chronicle. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ a b Flom, Eric L. (January 26, 2003). "St. Helens Theatre in Chehalis opens on May 12, 1924". HistoryLink. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "St. Helens (Fox) Theatre - 2/6 Kimball". Puget Sound Pipeline. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Nailon, Jordan (May 26, 2016). "The Show Will Go On at the Chehalis Theater After Sale". The Chronicle. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ Pittman, Mitch (March 31, 2017). "'It's a labor of love:' Old Chehalis theater gets new life". Komo News. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (September 11, 1908). "Business Locals". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 7. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chehalis Bee-Nugget staff (January 15, 1909). "Local News". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. p. 5. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ The Chronicle staff (September 9, 2018). "Toledo Man Gets 3 Years in Prison in 1998". The Chronicle. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Emerson, Amy (May 10, 2003). "Chehalis honors property owners". The Chronicle. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Nailon, Jordan (October 6, 2016). "Chehalis Theater Draws a Crowd Once More". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Historic Theatres - Statewide Survey and Physical Needs Assesment" (PDF). dahp.wa.gov. WA State Dept of Archaeology & Historic Preservation.
- ^ "Chehalis Theatre 2/8 Wicks Robert Morton". Puget Sound Pipeline. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Layton, Ken. "Chehalis Theater". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ a b c Carlson, Greg (December 21, 2016). "The Chehalis Theatre: A Historical Building Lives On". Lewis Talk. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Felthous, Dave. "Chehalis Theatre". cinematour.com. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Paulu, Tom (May 21, 2001). "A touch of Hollywood in Chehalis". The Daily News (Longview, Washington). Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Brewer, Christopher (January 15, 2015). "For Sale: One Theater, Asking Price $299,000". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Allen, Marqise (January 6, 2009). "Chehalis Cinema Closes". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
- ^ Hayes, Katie (December 20, 2018). "New Managers Take Over Chehalis Theatre, Plan to Host Live Entertainment, Serve Pizza". The Chronicle. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Wenzelburger, Jared (March 6, 2023). "A Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Held for McFiler's Chehalis Theater". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Sexton, Owen (September 19, 2022). "Chehalis Celebrates 75th Anniversary of 1947 Historic UFO Sighting With Flying Saucer Party". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Sexton, Owen (April 17, 2023). "Hundreds Attend 'Bigfoot: Real or Hoax?' Event in Chehalis". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
- ^ Sexton, Owen (September 28, 2023). "Inaugural Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest in Chehalis showcases 19 short films". The Chronicle. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Emily (February 8, 2023). "HUB Comedy and McFiler's Chehalis Theater Partner to Bring Big Name Acts". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
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