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Historic Beach Theatre undergoing renovations
St. Pete Beach residents can't wait for the historic beach theater to reopen. They helped pay for a piece of the renovations on Sunday during a fundraiser right outside the front doors. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo has the story.
ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Big plans are in store for the historic Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach, and old movie posters helped fuel the vision during a fundraiser Sunday.
"It was fun today watching everybody with their posters walking around. They did that fundraiser today, and it was just kind of cool watching everybody with their poster. Everyone is really excited," said Ken Hautmann, a co-owner of Chill restaurant near Beach Theatre.
The Beach Theatre Community Foundation and Beach Theatre owner Christopher Scott held a fundraiser Sunday to raise money to restore and renovate the 82-year-old theatre on Corey Avenue. Its doors closed in 2012 until Scott bought the building last year. Scott told FOX13 they found about 980 movie posters left in the movie office dating from its opening in 1940 until 2012. So they decided to do a fundraiser with the posters and gave out about 150 of them Sunday. People donated whatever amount they wanted in exchange, Scott said.
Since January, the theater has been cleaned and cleared out to make the space walkable. Currently, the architect is finalizing plans that will be submitted for approval to rebuild the theater.
"The owners have some really great things planned too where they want to do classes for kids, and do some senior events," said Hautmann.
The white and pale blue building made history in 1940, becoming the first movie theater in Pinellas County to have sound and air conditioning. Restoring the theater’s luster takes time.
"Basically it’s going to bring so much history back and memories back to the people that live here on the beach," said Elizabeth Nowak, the owner of Elizabeth’s Boutique and Grapes Wine Café on Corey Avenue.
Nowak said there’s nothing like going to the movies in a local landmark, and she looks forward to what’s ahead of the building.
"When I talk to my customers, everybody gets so excited about the theater coming to reopen again," said Nowak.
The beach theatre owner said Sunday was the first fundraiser at the actual theater, and they plan to hold more. The next steps are getting plans approved, contractors out to rebuild, then buying and installing projectors and sound equipment. The owner said he hopes to have the building done by the end of the summer, but he said the timeline may be impacted by supply chain issues.