Star Cinema
115 N. Webb Avenue,
Reedsburg,
WI
53959
115 N. Webb Avenue,
Reedsburg,
WI
53959
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A STAR IS REBORN: Cinema reopens to rave reviews
By Ken Leiviska, Reedsburg Times-Press Saturday, November 20, 2010
“A great day in Reedsburg.”
Those were the words Don Lichte, chairman of the Reedsburg Industrial and Commercial Development Commission, used Friday to describe the reopening of the downtown Star Theater.
“It’s a day of celebration and we’re only beginning,” he added.
Thanks to a flood recovery grant in the amount of almost $900,000, two local business owners were able to reopen the cinema, which has been closed since the flood of June 2008.
“It’s showtime in Reedsburg once again,” co-owner Randy Fusch said.
Fusch and business partner Chad Ellet also co-own the KFC restaurant on the east side of Reedsburg. They thanked the businesses and individuals who helped them fix up the theater on time for their targeted premiere date of Nov. 19.
As excited as Fusch and Ellet were about the opening, people in the community who attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday afternoon might have been even more thrilled.
“We’re so excited to see this thing open up again because my uncles haven’t been able to get to the (cinema in Wisconsin) Dells,” John Mueller said. “It’s great that it’s open so we can see a show here.”
Mueller pointed out that driving to Wisconsin Dells takes him about 45 minutes round-trip, making a two-hour movie a much longer “adventure.” He plans to visit the theater in Reedsburg frequently.
After seeing the damage the flood did to the theater more than two years ago, Shawn Klingbeil and her husband, Kurt, were glad someone finally fixed it up and got it open.
“We came in a couple of days after the flood and after seeing that, we’re just happy it’s open again,” Shawn said.
Kurt said their oldest son worked at the theater when it flooded. Fusch said they plan to hire about 25 to 30 employees for the theater, especially as they near the holiday season.
Fusch said the theater will be open every day, with shows generally scheduled to begin at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and noon, 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Moviegoers can call 768-SHOW for listings.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WisconsinTheatres/
An agreement has been reached between the city and a developer and the theater is expected to re-open by the end of the year: View link
The grant funds being sought for re-opening are not necessarily a sure thing, as this article points out.
http://tinyurl.com/38sqpua
Reinstate notification status.
This theater may re-open if grant funds become available; story here: View link
Looks like Kerasotes wants to sell this place now. I think that the current economic climate makes it a liability to hold on to a vacant property and have to pay taxes on it.
View link
Today’s Wisconsin State Journal has a story about how Kerasotes Theaters will not be reopening this theater.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/317574
The local community would like to see a movie theater in their town, so another operator is being sought.
Much of this area had been hit hard by the June, 2008 floods. The nearby Mid-Contintent Railway Museum was closed by the floods and which each passing day, it gets more and more doubtful that it will ever re-open.
Because this theater sits on the bank of the Baraboo River, it sustntined heavy flood damage in June. It is currently closed, hopefully to reopen soon.
Star Cinema is a great, clean, and modern place to see a movie. It is located off Hwy 33 in downtown Reedsburg, which is a plus. Unfortunately when it was constructed, it also meant the death of the historic Badger Theatre, also in downtown Reedsburg.