The Catlow Theater, a graceful and popular fixture in downtown Barrington for 74 years, is for sale.
But the owners say they will sell the movie house only to someone who would preserve the historic building and keep it open as an entertainment center.
Until about five years ago, the theater regularly sold all 700 seats for movies. But general partner Tim O’Connor said he’s selling because sales have dwindled and costs are up.
“It’s hard to imagine a for-profit enterprise at this point. The theater isn’t generating the funds,” he said. “It’s a tough time for theaters, especially for the independents. We’re just a mom-and-pop operation.”
O’Connor, 48, and partner Roberta Rapata, 41, along with four investors, have owned the building since 1988. The theater, 116 W. Main St., shows second-run movies for $3 a ticket.
O’Connor and Rapata are also owners of the adjacent Boloney’s sandwich shop, which opened in 1981.
Rapata said the partners do not have a deadline for selling the theater. She did say they could close it “if we had a downturn in business.”
“I suppose it could be possible, but hopefully it won’t be,” she said.
Wright Catlow, whose father opened the theater in 1927 during the silent film era, was saddened to hear it could close. The Catlow, which has an interior designed to look like a medieval English hall, featured vaudeville acts and performers such as Gene Autry.
Catlow, 73, of Winter Park, Colo., remembers how his father helped customers during the Depression.
“People did not have any money,” Catlow said. “So my dad nailed up a cigar box and you could drop in whatever you could afford to see a movie.”
He also recalled his first job — scraping gum off chairs for a penny a seat.
“It was a real sharp blow when I heard they were considering closing it,” he said. “It’s like a monument to my father’s memory. Naturally, I would want to see it preserved.”
Peg Blanchard, Barrington’s director of economic development, said if the theater building closes, it will hurt the “street landscape” of downtown.
“It’s the small-town theater that makes the downtown,” she said. “It creates an ambience. We would like to retain the theater. It is one of the few existing small downtown theaters.”
O’Connor is not sure if Boloney’s would stay in the building.
“If it was more beneficial for us to move out for the sale of the building, we would,” he said.
“Luckily we have Boloney’s. Lately, because business has been so bad at the theater, any repairs, Boloney’s has to pop for.”
Although O’Connor and his partners will sell the movie theater, they want to preserve it for the community, just as they did when they bought the facility.
“We came in here to keep the building from falling into the wrong hands.” O’Connor said.
“We were concerned about the theater being split into two or three smaller theaters … that was the style back in the ’80’s. Our goal was to preserve the theater because it is such a unique treasure for the town.”
O’Connor recently surveyed customers on whether they would like to see the theater used more for live stage shows and concerts. The survey also gauged community support for turning the single-screen theater into an entertainment site run by a non-profit organization that would restore and maintain the building.
O’Connor said he wanted to know what the community wants so he can find a suitable buyer. He said 300 people have responded, nearly all saying they are in favor of preserving the theater and seeing a variety of performers.
Fox River Grove resident Marcia Howe goes to the Catlow every other month with her daughter.
“I’d rather come here than go to the regular movies that are crowded,” Howe said. “They don’t make places like this anymore. I think even the surrounding areas would be disappointed if this were to change hands and the same atmosphere wasn’t kept.”
O’Connor has faith the right buyer will come along.
“What we need is the right person or group to come along with a plan for preserving this building and the memories associated with it,” he said. “If anybody can save a theater and save it properly, Barrington can.”
