 |
The Lynwood Theatre
4569 Lynwood Center Rd.
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
206.842.3080
360.373.6282 |
Lynwood Theatre History
Edna & Emanuel Olson, a hard-working couple who lived in the tudor-style house on the hill overlooking Lynwood Theater, built the structure known as Lynwood Center and opened the Island's first "talking picture" theatre. Silent screen houses dotted the Island, most notably was perhaps Port Blakely's Please U Theatre. The Lynwood Theatre opened with much fanfare on July 3, 1936 with the musical comedies TIMES SQUARE PLAYBOY and SHE COULDN'T TAKE IT with George Raft and Billie Burke.
In the early 1950's, the Olsons sold the business to nephew Glenn Nolta and his wife Lucille, who ran the theatre until 1982 when current owner Sam Granato bought the business.
1994 brought new improvements to the old theater - a new surround sound system and a bigger popcorn machine*, for a start. A new concessions stand keeping the art deco style, an enlarged lobby, |
Directions from the Ferry
Drive off the boat, heading North on Highway 305. Turn left at the 2nd light onto High School Road. Drive past the Safeway complex, straight through the round-about, and keep heading west until High School Road ends (approx. 2 miles). Turn left onto Fletcher Bay Road and drive until the road stops (1.3 miles). Turn right onto Lynwood Center Road and in less than 1 mile, you'll see The Historic Lynwood Theatre and Lynwood Center on your right.
Directions from the North
Heading South on Highway 305, drive past the casino and over the Agate Pass Bridge. You will now be on Bainbridge Island. Follow 305 for approx. 6 miles until the 3rd full traffic light (there's a MacDonald's on this corner). Turn right onto High School Road and drive past the Safeway complex, straight through the round-about, and keep heading west until High School Road ends (approx. 2 miles). Turn left onto Fletcher Bay Road and drive until the road stops (1.3 miles). Turn right onto Lynwood Center Road and in less than 1 mile, you'll see The Historic Lynwood Theatre and Lynwood Center on your right.
|
and brand new auditorium seats made the old Lynwood Theatre shine as proud as she was on July 3, 1936. In 1997 new projectors replaced the old Sears Motiographs which had provided solid reliability for 50 years, and our new screen now makes images cleaner and brighter than ever.
The building of a new 5-plex movie house in 1998 brought big changes to Island movie-goers, and The Lynwood was given a new title and a new role in the community. The Historic Lynwood Theatre is now an alternative movie-going experience, providing specialty movies and friendly service in an intimate single-screen setting.
By 2005, time and rust had taken a nasty toll upon Lynwood Theatre's original marquee. So Charlie Faddis - electrical engineer and inventor - donated a year of his spare time to repair the rusting steel with stainless steel, replace the rusted- out decorative cap with a bolder prow, and recreate the neon which once proudly adorned our community theatre. It was at our 70th Anniversary Celebration in 2006 when we lit the marquee to an enthusiastic crowd. And Charlie's marquee remains a beautiful, stylish beacon for Lynwood Center. |
