McFiler's Chehalis Theater
558 N. Market Boulevard,
Chehalis,
WA
98532
558 N. Market Boulevard,
Chehalis,
WA
98532
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 18 comments
The theatre is again going through dramatic changes in the interior and restoration on the exterior. It is scheduled to reopen the summer of 2022 as the McFiler’s Chehalis Theater, an event centre.
As of December 2020, the theater has changed hands again and has a new website: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiw-fHS-8LwAhXT854KHbSFByYQFjAEegQIIxAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmcfilerschehalistheater.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw3SL0vK8Y6zqgS2MEdhJV7p
Also has a facebook page:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiw-fHS-8LwAhXT854KHbSFByYQFjAAegQIAhAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmcfilerschehalistheater%2F&usg=AOvVaw1hKZ-bgWXC5FaysFNOiDMZ
Some seats were removed and large tables installed in their place.
Captain Hook.
What was that painting on the ceiling of the auditorium? It looked like Tom and Jerry (and maybe Little Lulu?).
This Theatre is OPEN and has some fantastic things going on! Owner and staff are very friendly and gave me a tour. It’s worth the drive to come and check them out. Let’s change status to “OPEN”
The theater has been sold and the new owners plan to re-open this theater sometime in August 2016. The Centralia Chronicle has a story about this:
http://www.chronline.com/the-show-will-go-on-at-the-chehalis-theater-after/article_e5db8fec-2366-11e6-96cd-471952e64608.html
Are there any plans to reopen? And do you mean a digital video projector?
Theater is still closed, but does have a video projector installed in addition to the original 35mm film equipment.
The theater is still closed.
The Chehalis Theater is set to reopen in May 2009 as a second run theater.
It could be a nice theatre to show art and foriegn films. Usually these single screeners do well that way.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I understand that the lighted poster cases outside the theater are now being restored & re-lit.
The Pix Theatre is listed with a seating capacity of 650 when it first opened.
Photos & history:
View link
Note that the organ predates the movie theater.