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Also known as Pix Theater

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Chehalis Theater

Chehalis, WA

558 North Market Boulevard

, Chehalis, WA 98532 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Art Deco

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	350
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

1999 view of the Chehalis Theater's exterior and marquee

Photo courtesy of Ken Layton

The Chehalis Theater was originally constructed in the late 1920's as a car dealership and was not a movie theater until its conversion in 1938 to the Pix Theater.

In 1958, the theater was renovated and renamed the Chehalis Theater. Tom Moyer Luxury Theaters bought it in 1980 and closed it in 1984. It was converted into a videotape rental store that same year and operated until 1994, when the video store finally folded.

The Chehalis Theater sat empty and neglected for two years until local theater buff Daryl Lund purchased the theater and restored it to its full glory. Original Art Deco light fixtures were found in the attic, restored, and re-installed in the auditorium. Brand new seats, a new snack bar, new projector, new lamphouse, and digital sound were added. The marquee was repainted and many sections of neon were repaired or replaced.

The Chehalis Theater closed in December 2008, two months after a ten-screen multiplex opened outside of town.

Contributed by Ken Layton

YOUR COMMENTS

Photos & history:
http://www.pstos.org/instruments/wa/chehalis/chehalis.htm

Note that the organ predates the movie theater.

posted by TC on May 17, 2005 at 5:56am

The Pix Theatre is listed with a seating capacity of 650 when it first opened.

posted by KenRoe on May 17, 2005 at 6:15am

I understand that the lighted poster cases outside the theater are now being restored & re-lit.

posted by Ken Layton on May 17, 2005 at 8:01am

The Chehalis is a nice place to see a movie. The owners should be comended for efforts to keep a downtown house open in this day of multi meg screen theaters.

posted by Ron Carlson on Sep 1, 2005 at 1:40pm

The ticketing system and snack bar cash registers are now updated to modern touch screens and you can use credit/debit cards at this theater for food and tickets.

posted by Ken Layton on Sep 26, 2005 at 4:53am

Built by James Gabel in 1923 for $25,000. It was purchased in 1937 for $50,000 by A.C. St. John who, coincidentally, was the same guy who sold his repair garage to be converted into the St. Helens Theater in 1924.

posted by Colin H. on Nov 3, 2008 at 5:21pm

Some photos can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 7, 2008 at 11:38am

Here is a website for this theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 7, 2008 at 5:59pm

The theater has closed.

CHEHALIS, WA -- Two months after the 10-screen Midway Cinemas opened outside of town, the single-screen Chehalis Theater was forced to close last month due to poor business and its inability to obtain new films.

"I didn't have any movies to show, because the new theater took them all," said the owner. The city's mayor noted "It'll leave a big hole in the downtown."

The current owner purchased the building in 1994 and leased it out as a video store. In 1997, the video store owner converted it back into a theater and operated it for a year before closing in 1998. The landlord then re-opened the theater and kept it operating until last December.

He said that movie company restrictions limited what he could do with the theater.

"You can't do dollar nights and family nights. The movie companies say you have to charge this much and be open this long."

The owner said he refuses to sell the theater and is looking at trying to tap a niche market, perhaps by offering English movies dubbed into Spanish for the Latino community.

"Who knows, I might start showing X-rated movies," he joked.

posted by danpetitpas on Jan 8, 2009 at 7:51am

It could be a nice theatre to show art and foriegn films. Usually these single screeners do well that way.

posted by movie534 on Jan 8, 2009 at 9:03am

1982 Photo

1983 Photo

1983 Photo

posted by Lost Memory on Apr 21, 2009 at 6:24pm

The Chehalis Theater is set to reopen in May 2009 as a second run theater.

posted by Ken Layton on Apr 21, 2009 at 6:46pm

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