The Edmonds Theater has been a part of Rick Steves’ life since the 1960s. Now, the philanthropist, travel icon and TV show host has become its owner.
Steves has emotional ties to the single-screen theater on the city's Main Street. Over the decades, he has watched movies there alongside friends and neighbors.
"I don't remember exactly, but there's a very good chance the very first kiss I ever enjoyed was in the balcony," he said.
Steves is already making plans for how to use the space and, he hopes, break even on his $2 million investment. The main challenge he sees is renovating the building to highlight its Art Deco architecture.
"It's pretty threadbare right now,” he said. “It would be quite reasonable to invest a little money in it, and it would sparkle from an architectural point of view as an Art Deco treasure in our community."
While theaters across the country are struggling, Steves felt it was important to preserve this one as a community gathering space.
In addition to screening films, Steves said he wants nonprofit organizations to be able to use the building as a meeting place.
"Am I going to get $2 million of value out of it? Not directly,” he said. “But I'm going to get the intangible joy of knowing I'm making our community a little more — the fabric of our community is going to be a little stronger."
The theater is screening a documentary called The Last Picture Shows through Sept. 3. The film is, aptly, about the struggles of old movie houses in the western United States.
