ST CHARLES, Mo. — A beloved movie theater in St. Charles reopened this weekend, after having to shut down because of a fire.
"We get to see the community come in and thank us and be thankful that this kind of establishment is back open," Anthony Nolen, co-owner of St. Andrews Cinema, said.
After a fire in 2019, the St. Andrews Cinema had holes in the roof which allowed rain in. Vandals frequented the abandoned space, causing damage. Plus, the new owners said people were living inside the closed St. Charles theater.
"That kind of poverty is around here," Nolen said. "This struck a big hole in the community. It allowed it to be a breeding ground for things like that. We hope to be a catalyst that can help turn those people around— not turn them away, and give them a better chance."
Those damaged hallways have been painted with movie characters by local artists and one of the other co-owners, Willie Butler III.
"This is just a safe zone," Butler said. "It's a safe area for the kids to come after school. It's affordable, just a good place. It's not just an abandoned place anymore. It was horrible. We cleaned it up real good."
It was a sold-out show on Friday night for the grand opening. There were about 240 people in attendance at the midnight Rocky Horror Picture Show.
However, owners said handling all the obstacles along the way to that success wasn't easy. Especially when one of the projectors wasn't working, and plans to show the film Back to the Future didn't make it to screen. A Home Alone 1 and 2 double feature was offered instead.
"[Taking] one big deep breath at a time, that's all you can do," Nolen said. "That's what we did. There are still things to do, but we're hoping now it's safe to be here."
Instead of folding chairs, permanent seats are planned in the theater that can fit 250 seats. Nolen, his wife Krystal Nolen, and Butler are local entrepreneurs who met when Anthony and Butler were 13 years old, playing football together.
Now, they run a St. Louis barbeque catering company that serves food at the theater.
Even cheaper than snacks, movies are only a dollar on Wednesdays to keep the experience affordable for the community.
St. Andrews is playing mostly vintage movies like The Goonies starting Sunday. The owners are also planning on hosting comedy shows and even a job fair in the facility in the near future.