The Big Picture

I have an article from 1963 concerning the demolition of the Rio Theater in Appleton, built 1929. Any chance this is listed on the Wisconsin page under another name? If not, I will add it.

"The Appleton Post-Crescent is reporting that the Big Picture theater in Appleton will be closing after its last movie on October 15, 2006.

The large format movie theater at 215 E. Washington St. will run its previously scheduled foreign film and a regular slate of movies through next week, but then will close.

Co-owners Jim and Michelle Bork made the announcement in an exclusive interview this afternoon with The Post-Crescent. The paper chose to not post the story on its Web site until late Friday to give the couple time to tell their staff of 13 employees.

The theater’s closure was because of finances, Jim Bork said.

It’s basically not enough attendance to make it financially viable,” said Bork, who is president of Big Picture Concepts, the theater’s operating company. “We have no more resources to keep it going.

The theater opened in March 2005".

For sale for $5,300,000 http://listing.loopnet.com/15000204

I managed the Hollywood Cinema at the time this theatre was proposed/built. The people who were going to build it actually toured the Hollywood to take a look at our projector that we used for the ultrascreen. From the moment I talked to them, I knew their venture would fail. They knew nothing about operating a movie theatre. They were constructing a BRAND NEW facility, lots of $$$, it wasn't in a good location-basically behind the downtown area, and they were going to show IMAX type movies only... Hmmm, even if you get every school in the area to bring a school group every month it could never possibly make enough money to pay off its debt. Patronage from the general public to see these type of films would not be great. In the end, unfortunately, I was right. The theatre couldn't sustain itself for even a year. Its a shame, its a very nice facility. I can't imagine what will ever come of it.

Does anyone know if this building is still vacant?

Must not of had a very good business plan if they only stayed open a little over a year.

This building is currently being rented and used by a church group called "the core".