Successful Kickstarter Campaign To Bring Antioch Theatre Back To Life
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Antioch Theatre will live on, after being on the brink of being closed for good.
Tim Downey began a Kickstarter online fundraiser to generate the rest of the money needed for a $750,000 renovation of the 95-year-old single-screen movie theater.
Before the Kickstarter campaign began, $650,000 had been committed to a plan to renovate and repair the theater, with another $35,000 to come through sidewalk star sales and other promotions.
"Movie theaters are like heartbeats in downtowns. Once you lose them, they don't come back," Downey said.
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After the theater closed in the spring, Downey was determined to get it renovated and reopened.
"I don't live in Antioch, but I have some other investments in town. I care about the town. I recognize the love and affection that the residents in that town and surrounding communities have for Antioch, so I didn't want it to go away," he said.
His goal was to raise $65,000, but with more than a week remaining in the fundraiser, he's surpassed that and now has more than $69,000.
Downey said the theater has touched the community, which is why the goal was met and then some.
Now he's shooting for an extra $9,000 on Kickstarter for the next week or so, to be able to put in a 3-D projection system.
The renovation will also include a new façade, a new marquee, a heated sidewalk, and a smaller second theater that could be used for independent films and even birthday parties.
He's hoping to have renovations complete and the theater open for first-run films around Christmas.
