Photo: Visitor7 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Along US 101 in Lincoln City, the Bijou Theatre’s marquee has been a familiar sight for generations. The single-screen house dates to the 1930s and is one of the few independent movie theaters left on the Oregon coast.
A hard business
Independent theaters face steep costs, from film rental terms to the switch to digital projection. Many small-town theaters across the country closed in the last two decades, and those that survived often did so through community support, special events and loyal regulars.
More than movies
Small theaters often fill gaps with film series, local events and rentals. On a rainy coast evening, they give residents and visitors something to do that is not tied to the beach.
Part of the town’s character
For a city made up of several older towns merged together, landmarks like the Bijou help tie the place to its past. Keeping one running is as much about the community as the box office.
Marnie Holcomb is the editor and publisher of Oregon Coast Daily News and covers Lincoln County government and community life.
