Art House Cinema and Pub hosted a recent celebration to show off their reimagined theater space.
The Billings community filled up the Art House Cinema and Pub to see how the small non-profit theater in downtown Billings transitioned into a three theater multi-plex with a restaurant and pub.
“This has been a long journey for us but it’s been because of not just one or two people but so many people in the community, said Art House Cinema and Pub founder and executive director Matt Blakeslee.
“Whether it’s been donors, or volunteers…this is really a community space. So when people walk through here, that’s the big deal. Billings did this together,” Blakeslee said.
The complex located in the old Central Lanes bowling alley was crowded with enthusiastic movie goers like Teresa Wicks.
“We’ve been waiting for something like this because we don’t—I don’t like to go to the big theaters. And this has a more intimate feel,” said Wicks.
The phase two renovations took eight months to complete, much longer than initially anticipated. But Blakeslee said despite supply chain issues, they were able to take their time with the work.
“Because of that, we were able to make decisions that saved us money. And so we didn’t feel this pressure –we got to open next week. We’ll take our time. Do it right and save some money,” said Blakeslee.
The first screenings in the new theaters began the next afternoon with The Holdovers at 3:00pm, Killers of the Flower Moon at 3:15pm and 3:30pm for Next Goal Wins.
