AKRON, Ohio — In a time when movie theatres around the country are closing their doors, one beloved theatre in Akron is under new ownership and breathing new life into its theatre.
The Linda Theatre at 1745 Goodyear Blvd. is about to celebrate being in business for 75 years. It opened on Nov. 18, 1948.
The one-screen, 500-seat theatre is nostalgic for many Akron residents.
“We had one person after the other tell us stories how they’ve been coming here since they were a kid,” said Scott Summers.
Summers is part of a group of residents who bought the Linda Theatre from its previous owner.
“He wanted us to have it because he knew that we would at least carry on some semblance of tradition of the theatre,” said Summers.
It’s a deal that started as something else but came with a bit of a plot twist.
David Schwayer rented the space in the building a few doors down, at 1763 Goodyear Blvd., and was transforming it into a hub for entertainment.
“I had the goal to basically get the old post office and turn it into a music venue and restaurant,” said Schwayer.
Summers got involved in the project, but the space didn’t have proper air conditioning.
“Dave was renting the building, so we came to the realization that the only way to really do this right was to buy the building,” mentioned Summers.
The building was owned by the property owner of the Linda, as well.
“He made us an offer on this building, and it was not really something we could turn down,” he said.
Now, Cafe Rewind and The Afterlife entertainment venue will open soon, and the Linda Theatre will re-open at the beginning of Aug. with the premiere of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The theatre will be a bit updated, eventually, the group hopes to add a stage for more entertainment opportunities, but the core of the beloved theatre will remain intact.
“We have definitely got a customer base of people that have been coming here for decades and hopefully, for the same reason, they will continue to come to movies because it’s affordable,” said Summers.
The tickets will still cost $5.
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