The new owners of Monte Rio’s theater want to revitalize the theater as west county’s community hub and are hoping to bring in farmers markets, live music, outdoor movie screenings and more.
The newly-named Monte Rio Theatre & Extravaganza was recently purchased by David and Kim Lockhart, residents and River’s Edge Kayak & Canoe owners; Paul DuBray, resident and Rio Café & Grill owner; Bryan Gallinger, marketing and events professional; and Dan Jahns, resident and finance professional.
“The Monte Rio community has been waiting for someone to revitalize this amazing theatre. It has so much potential to play a positive role in shaping our entire community and in helping to build an even stronger Sonoma,” said DuBray in a statement.
Gallinger said that they chose to use the word “extravaganza” in the name because they want to do something that is “different and unique and above average” with the space.
“We want to deliver excellence for the community of Monte Rio,” he said. “So when tourists are coming in they have something that adds value, but when locals are spending time interacting with the Monte Rio property and theater that they have a place where they can think outside of the box and find unique activities and programs.”
One of the goals the new ownership group has, Gallinger said, is finding ways to keep the theater open year-round, instead of closing it during off-season like previous owners have in the past.
While the theater will continue to be used for movies, he said that they’ve also been thinking about how to make use of the property for festivals, themed events and other to-be-determined uses.
“It’s really important for us that this new theater and multipurpose venue coincides with the local community. We don’t want to just build a big, grand property with all of these cool activities that bring in tons of new tourists and then leave the local community in stress,” said Gallinger. “We want to work with and grow with Monte Rio and other areas of Sonoma County.”
Before the group moves forward with any plans, they first have to work on getting the building and property healthy. Years of flood and age have roughed up the space, Gallinger said, and in the immediate future the group is planning to invest more time, money and energy into cleaning things out and making sure the old theater quonset hut is safe. He also noted that they’re planning on taking more precautions to prepare the area, which has often fallen victim to west county’s weather, for future flood and extreme weather scenarios.
The theater was put up for sale in February 2020 by a group of friends who co-purchased the theater and the 1.25-acres it sits on in 2013.
“While we’re sad that we couldn’t devote the necessary time and energy over these last few years to realize the Rio’s full potential, we’re so honored to have been able to serve this community and happy to be able to pass along stewardship for this beloved theater to new owners,” said the partners in a statement on the old Rio website.
The new owners of the Monte Rio Theatre & Extravaganza view the theater as a way to ensure that quality entertainment and community activity continue in west county.
For co-owner David Lockhart, the river and the Rio hold sentimental value. When he was younger, his family had a cabin near Odd Fellows Park.
“This has always been the magical place for me — the Russian River — and I would see a movie every summer on my birthday … pretty much every summer for the last 40 years up here,” Lockhart said.
When he heard that the theater was up for sale, he was afraid it would be turned into something else and wanted to ensure that it wouldn’t turn into something like a parking lot.
Gallinger said that he was drawn to the theater because it reminded him of his own childhood in the Pacific Northwest.
“The first time I went to Monte Rio … it reminded me of the northwest where I grew up. The river, the trees, the small-town vibes, the kind hearted people,” he said. The location, coupled with his own childhood aspirations of working in entertainment, drew him to the opportunity.
“It was like a burst of a vision of the ability to go back to that small-town lifestyle and to bring something special,” he said.
Right now, the theater is closed and undergoing renovations. However, the group aspires to hold an event on the property by the end of the year.
“I want to keep the magic going for the future generations,” Lockhart said.
More information about the Monte Rio Theatre & Extravaganza can be found here.
