Mountaineer Movie Theatre

The Mountaineer Movie Theatre is a family-owned, single-screen cinema located at 811 North Gunnison Ave. in Lake City, Colorado, a small mountain town at roughly 8,661 feet in elevation at the foot of the San Juan Mountains. It was established in 1975 and has operated for decades as a local landmark, showing first-run blockbuster and classic films year-round in a vintage theatre setting. The theatre presents itself as "a small town theatre with big city films," combining current featured films with special events, festivals, and community gatherings. The theatre's origins trace to a group of Lake City citizens who, in 1974, organized Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. and purchased the existing Mountaineer Theatre in Gunnison, Colorado. From that sale they acquired two Simplex carbon arc projectors, a popcorn and cotton candy machine, other concession equipment, and theatre seats. The company bought three lots at the north end of Gunnison Avenue in Lake City and contracted local builder Keith Hegarty to construct a new theatre facility, which was completed by the end of summer 1975 and officially opened in September 1975. The first film shown at the new Mountaineer Theatre was Young Frankenstein. In the 1990s the Virden family became sole owners, and the theatre underwent an extensive renovation in 2012. Original pieces from the old Gunnison theatre, including unique film strip wall panel paintings that flank the interior, were retained and remain part of the theatre's character. The venue offers concessions including beverages and snacks, sells gift cards, and is known for pre-show greetings, door prizes, and a warm, personal atmosphere associated with its owner, Phil. As a small independent cinema in a remote high-altitude Rocky Mountain town, the Mountaineer Movie Theatre functions as both an entertainment venue and a community gathering place. It shows first-run films alongside classics, hosts special events and festivals, and has been described by visitors as a Lake City landmark and a fixture for decades.

The Mountaineer Movie Theatre began with a community effort in Lake City, Colorado. In 1974, a group of citizens who thought a movie theatre would be a great addition to the town organized Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. and purchased the Mountaineer Theatre, which was then located in Gunnison, Colorado. Through that purchase, the new owners acquired two Simplex carbon arc projectors, a popcorn and cotton candy machine, other concession equipment, and theatre seats. Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. bought three lots at the north end of Gunnison Avenue in Lake City and contracted with Keith Hegarty, a local builder, to construct a theatre facility. The facility was completed by the end of the summer of 1975 and officially opened in September 1975. The first film shown at the new Mountaineer Theatre was Young Frankenstein, starring Gene Wilder, Gene Hackman, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, and Marty Feldman. The theatre moved to Lake City in 1975; before that it operated as a theatre in downtown Gunnison. When the Gunnison theatre closed, the new owners obtained many original pieces from the old theatre, including unique film strip wall panel paintings that flank the interior of the theatre. In the 1990s, the Virden family became sole owners. In 2012, the theatre underwent an extensive renovation. The theatre has remained a single-screen, vintage movie theatre showing blockbuster and classic films, open year round. It has been described as a fixture for four decades and a Lake City landmark, with a warm and personal atmosphere, pre-show greetings, door prizes, and community events.

• 2012

  The theatre underwent an extensive renovation.

• 1990

  In the 1990s, the Virden family became sole owners of the theatre.

• 1975

  The new theatre facility in Lake City was completed by the end of summer and officially opened in September 1975; the first film shown was Young Frankenstein.

• 1974

  A group of Lake City citizens organized Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. and purchased the Mountaineer Theatre in Gunnison, Colorado.

A small-town, family-owned vintage single-screen theatre offering big-city first-run films in a quaint, high-altitude mountain setting.

• First-run feature films

• Classic films

• Special events and festivals

• Concessions (beverages and snacks)

• Gift cards

1. 1Homemountaineertheatre.com
2. 2Aboutmountaineertheatre.com
3. 3Mountaineer Movie Theatrewikidata.org