Bob White Theatre in SE Portland shows first movie in 30 years this fall

Bob White Theatre

Nick Haas, 25, is in the process of purchasing the historic Bob White Theatre on Southeast Foster Road.

(Melissa Binder/The Oregonian)

The Bob White Theatre on Southeast Foster Road is scheduled to show its first movie in 30 years in October.

The 1924 theater stopped showing movies in 1984, according to manager Nick Haas. The 25-year-old has been organizing events at the theater for a couple of years, and said he's in the final stages of purchasing the building from owner Nick Storie.

"This just seemed like the right thing to do," he said. "I'd be a fool not to do it."

The young man said he and Storie have settled on a price of about $780,000. He hopes the sale will be final by the end of September. Haas believes he's rallied enough investors to cover the purchase and some initial fixes. He's also planning to apply for historic designation to bring in extra funds for refurbishment.

Haas plans to show movies on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, starting Oct. 2. The space will house concerts on Fridays and Saturdays and serve as rehearsal space for theater groups and local bands on Sundays.

We'll be looking into the history of the theater and providing more details about Haas's vision for the theater in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Do you have memories at the Bob White Theatre? Email Melissa Binder or share your stories about the theater's past in the comments section below.

-- Melissa Binder

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