St. Johns Twin Cinemas & Pub
A historic twin-screen movie theater and pub in Portland's St. Johns neighborhood.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
St. Johns Twin Cinemas & Pub is a historic neighborhood cinema in the St. Johns district of Portland, Oregon. The venue opened in 1913, when St. Johns was still an independent city rather than part of Portland. It was developed by the People's Amusement Company after C. A. Metzger announced plans for a purpose-built modern theater. The original design called for a concrete, two-and-a-half-story building measuring approximately 50 by 100 feet, with an estimated construction cost of $30,000 and an auditorium seating about 650 people. The theater has operated under several names during its history, including the St. Johns Theater and the Northgate Theater. Its early years reflected the civic and cultural role that movie houses often played in small communities. In 1915, the St. Johns City Council adopted an ordinance establishing film censorship provisions after controversy surrounding The House of Bondage, a film that theater managers had declined to screen. The episode occurred during a period when local authorities and theater operators were actively debating what constituted acceptable public entertainment. That same year, in July 1915, the city of St. Johns was annexed by Portland. The building also served as a community gathering place. In 1928, it hosted a town-hall meeting concerning a proposed bridge across the Willamette River. The bridge proposal eventually became the St. Johns Bridge, which was completed in 1931, connecting the neighborhood with areas on the opposite side of the river. A substantial renovation took place in 1983 under David A. Jones and David H. Evans, who were involved in renovating multiple Portland-area theaters. Following the work, the main-floor auditorium held approximately 350 seats and the upstairs auditorium held approximately 225 seats, reflecting the venue's transition from a large single auditorium to a two-screen configuration. In 1986, a fire occurred in an apartment above the theater after a firecracker was thrown through a window into a waste basket. Available reference material does not establish the extent of the damage or any long-term operational consequences. The venue is also identified as a cinema and pub, combining film exhibition with beverage and hospitality service. Publicly available reference material does not provide reliable information about its current ownership, corporate structure, financial performance, executive leadership, programming strategy, or present operating status. It is therefore best understood as a locally significant historic entertainment venue rather than a national cinema chain or widely distributed consumer brand.
History
St. Johns Twin Cinema originated in 1913, when the People's Amusement Company developed a movie theater in the then-independent city of St. Johns, Oregon. C. A. Metzger announced plans for a modern concrete theater measuring approximately 50 by 100 feet and rising two and a half stories. The proposed building was estimated to cost $30,000 and included an auditorium with capacity for roughly 650 patrons. The theater's early history intersected with local debates over film content and municipal authority. In 1915, managers refused to show The House of Bondage amid concern about its subject matter. The St. Johns City Council subsequently approved an ordinance establishing a censorship board intended to exclude films considered lewd. Later that year, in July 1915, St. Johns was annexed by Portland. The venue consequently became part of Portland's neighborhood theater network rather than remaining in a separate municipality. The cinema also functioned as a civic meeting place. In 1928, it hosted a town-hall discussion about a proposed bridge across the Willamette River. The project progressed into construction of the St. Johns Bridge, completed in 1931. This episode illustrates the theater's role as a community venue beyond ordinary film exhibition. Over time, the establishment was known by several names, including St. Johns Theater and Northgate Theater. In 1983, David A. Jones and David H. Evans carried out a full renovation. Their work on the building formed part of a broader effort to renovate theaters in the Portland area. After the renovation, the lower auditorium seated approximately 350 people and the upstairs auditorium approximately 225, documenting the venue's twin-screen format. On July 7, 1986, a fire occurred in an apartment above the theater after a firecracker was thrown through a window and landed in a waste basket. The available historical account does not provide sufficient information about the resulting damage, insurance matters, restoration work, or interruption to cinema operations. The modern name, St. Johns Twin Cinemas & Pub, describes a combined cinema and hospitality concept. The venue is associated with neighborhood-scale moviegoing and pub service in Portland's St. Johns area. Public sources supplied for this entry do not establish its current owner, management, financial condition, programming schedule, or confirmed operating status.
- 1986
Fire reported above the theater
[1]A fire starts in an apartment above the venue after a firecracker is thrown through a window into a waste basket.
- 1983
Full renovation creates the twin-auditorium layout
[1]David A. Jones and David H. Evans renovate the theater, resulting in two auditoriums reported to seat approximately 350 and 225 patrons.
- 1931
St. Johns Bridge is completed
[1]The bridge discussed at the theater's 1928 civic meeting is completed, although the theater was not the project owner or builder.
- 1928
Bridge proposal meeting held at the theater
[1]The venue hosts a town hall concerning a proposed Willamette River bridge later realized as the St. Johns Bridge.
- 1915
St. Johns becomes part of Portland
[1]The city of St. Johns is annexed by Portland in July, changing the municipal context in which the theater operates.
- 1913
Theater opens in St. Johns
[1]The People's Amusement Company opens a new purpose-built movie theater in the independent city of St. Johns, with a reported capacity of about 650 seats.
Products and positioning
A historic neighborhood cinema combining independent film exhibition, local community identity, and pub-style hospitality.
Cinema · 1983
Twin-screen movie exhibition
The venue's principal activity is theatrical film exhibition across two auditoriums. The twin configuration is associated with the 1983 renovation, after which the main-floor auditorium was reported to seat approximately 350 people and the upstairs auditorium approximately 225. Specific current programming, projection formats, and release mix are not documented in the supplied sources.
Hospitality
Pub and beverage service
The current name identifies a pub component alongside the cinema. This suggests an integrated hospitality experience in which customers can obtain beverages and potentially food while visiting for film screenings. The available references do not specify the menu, licensing arrangements, service model, or current availability.
Brand decisions
1983
Renovation converts the venue to a two-auditorium formatGeneration changeBackground
The historic theater was among several Portland-area cinemas renovated by David A. Jones and David H. Evans.
Action taken
The building was fully renovated, with a main-floor auditorium reported at 350 seats and an upstairs auditorium reported at 225 seats.
Aftermath
The venue continued under its twin-cinema identity. No reliable source supplied here describes the renovation cost, reopening date, or subsequent ownership.
1915
Managers decline to screen The House of BondageOtherBackground
The film became part of a local dispute over whether certain motion pictures were unsuitable for public exhibition.
Action taken
The theater managers refused to show the film, before the St. Johns City Council later formalized a local censorship system.
Aftermath
The council adopted an ordinance establishing a censorship board for films considered lewd. The available sources do not document the film's commercial impact on the theater.
Recent events
- 1986
Fire occurs in apartment above the theater[1]
Other
A fire began in an apartment above the theater after a firecracker was thrown through a window into a waste basket. Available reference material does not specify the full extent of the damage or the venue's closure period.
- 1983
Major theater renovation changes auditorium configuration[1]
Other
David A. Jones and David H. Evans renovated the theater as part of work on several Portland-area cinemas. The updated venue included a 350-seat main-floor auditorium and a 225-seat upstairs auditorium.
- 1928
The theater hosts a bridge proposal town hall[1]
Other
A public meeting at the theater addressed a proposed bridge over the Willamette River in St. Johns. The resulting St. Johns Bridge was completed in 1931.
- 1915
Local censorship dispute surrounds The House of Bondage[1]
Regulation
The theater's managers declined to screen The House of Bondage, while the St. Johns City Council later approved an ordinance creating a local censorship framework for films considered lewd.
- 1915
St. Johns is annexed by Portland[1]
Other
The city in which the theater opened was incorporated into Portland in July 1915, placing the venue within the larger city's municipal boundaries.
- 1913
St. Johns theater opens as a new movie house[1]
Other
The People's Amusement Company opened the theater in the city of St. Johns after plans were announced for a purpose-built concrete venue with a 650-seat auditorium.
Sources2 sources
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