The Eastwood Theater is screening movies again.
The announcement was made via Facebook on Sept. 18, a post shared and commented on more than 200 times. Josh Harnegie, the theater’s outreach coordinator and one of the people behind the opening, was impressed by the excitement.
“It had as many shares as it had likes within the span of 20-something hours,” he said. “Personally, I’ve never seen anything like that.”
The opening provides a safe entertainment option for the surrounding communities, Harnegie said.
“A lot of people, in my research, don’t really cross the bridge to go to Franklin Park,” he said. “It’s not that far away but it might as well be on the other side of the world.”
Framed articles from 1921 hang in the front lobby detailing the theater’s early history. The Eastwood Theater shuffled between different owners and churches over the years, once showing pornography only. The theater is currently shared with Cornerstone Church, which holds services there.
“I didn’t really understand the rich history of East Toledo until I started looking into the project,” he said.
The theater has been renovated and repainted. Upgrading a single-screen theater like the Eastwood Theater can cost anywhere from $130,000 to $500,000 — “quite a significant investment,” Harnegie said.
Of the many renovations, the ticket window in the front was kept even though it probably won’t be used.
“We wanted to keep that old-time feel without making it historic,” he said.
Able to seat 342 people, Harnegie hopes to sponsor additional events like political debates at the venue, or to rent to local charter schools without access to an auditorium. The venue is currently having a “soft open” with weekend showings for “Maleficent” and “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” All showings cost $5.
Weekday showings will eventually be added for family-friendly films and blockbusters, Harnegie said. A grand opening is also being planned and will take place within the next couple weeks.
The theater is at 817 E. Broadway St. For more information, call (419) 720-5199 or visit eastwoodtheater.com.
