Changes ahead for the Houlton Temple Theatre

HOULTON, Maine (WAGM)

“It’s an anchor of the downtown – we’ve had so much growth in Market Square here in Houlton that the thought of the theatre closing, it just wasn’t gonna happen,” said Fred Grant, the new owner of the Houlton Temple Theatre.

The Houlton Temple Cinema, one of only a few cinemas left in the County, was recently bought by The Northern Maine Media Inc owner Fred Grant. Grant also owns two other Houlton businesses – the WHOU radio station and the restaurant Market Pizza. On purchasing the cinema, Grant stated, “We were hoping that somebody was going to come forward and buy the theatre, so that didn’t happen, and so we took it as a sign, an opportunity, for our crew to pick it up. I think we’re going to be able to promote the downtown and make it more of a destination than it’s already become.”

The 104-year-old theatre is one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the state of Maine and has been a staple of Houlton’s downtown area since it’s opening. Grant observed, “When you go around the country and you go to the multiplexes – they’re great, you know, that’s really cool – but you’re not going to have the sense of history that we have here at the Temple, and we’re going to be bringing that history into the programming as well.”

Grant plans to make programmatic and technological changes to the cinema, such as expanding programs and hours of operation, and updating the video and audio systems. He also plans to incorporate independent films, live shows, event streaming and music events into the programming. Grant stated, “We’re also hoping to partner with businesses in the region to set what the programming is and how people interact in a different way than they’ve been used to.”

Grant hopes all these changes will improve the Houlton downtown area, making it a destination that is desirable for everyone in the community. “When you grew up here in Houlton,” Grant recounted, “the downtown was a part of our everyday lives. It is exciting to be a part of Houlton’s downtown as it grows and becomes something new.”

Grant does not plan to make major changes to the ticket prices or the historical integrity of the building. “It’s rare that you have a building this old,” Grant said. “To occupy it in this way is just really cool in that sense. So we’re going to maintain that as best we can.”

Although changes are coming, the Temple Theatre will still serve its original purpose – to provide people in the County with entertainment. Rothery Sullivan, Newsource 8.