The movie theatre experience has been a part of Robert Boone’s life from a young age. As a 19-year-old, he worked at and managed a theatre in Superior, Wisconsin. Boone enjoyed being in charge of a team and providing children, and all moviegoers alike, a joyful and happy experience.

Theaters nationwide were forced to shut their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus didn’t stop West Theatre from staying optimistic. Photo by: Cory Knudsen

Fast-forward to his adult years when Boone came upon a building located at 317 N. Central Ave. that once housed a movie theatre which opened in 1937. After the theatre closed in the mid ’50s, the building struggled to find an identity, until it was bought by Boone in 2016.

The building required much work, but he was passionate about restoring the theatre to what it had been before. A new marquee, digital production booths, bathrooms and an extra lounge area were added to give the building an updated, yet classic feel.

Boone said it was crucial to create the theatre as it appeared in 1937.

“Old fashioned movie theatres have a sense of downtown to them,” he said.

Boone thought the downtown feel was what West Duluth needed. He went to extreme lengths to recreate the feel of Art Deco Theatres from years past in order to provide a historically accurate experience for modern moviegoers.

Boone oversaw the process of repainting the building to its original color, and even bought antiques from countries all around the world to emulate the feel of old-school theatres.

“I do things I find interesting that no one else is stupid enough to do,” Boone said.

The renovation was, in Boone’s words, “a giant pain in the ass to pull off,” as it took a lot more time and money than initially anticipated. Boone said he spent countless hours putting substantial work into the theatre.

The saving grace was the hundreds of volunteers that dedicated their time to painting, as well as different aspects of construction within the building. After three years and $1.5 million in expenses, the West Theatre had its grand opening on June 21, 2019.

“It felt like a miracle that it opened,” Boone said.

West Theatre is now open and is showing movies and hosting events. Photo by: Cory Knudsen

One of the most memorable moments for Boone was the first movie shown on opening night: the 1937 version of “A Star Is Born.”

Boone said bringing people together and receiving a standing ovation felt very rewarding. Some guests at the opening said their parents met each other at the original theatre, and it was special for them to experience films in the same location. Parents around the area also informed Boone that they were excited to have a location for their kids to go to that they were comfortable with.

Boone was even interviewed by “CBS This Morning” in their October 12, 2019 story about author Leif Enger. Enger wrote a book called “Virgil Wander” about a man living on Lake Superior that was dedicated to restoring an old movie theatre, but had his life changed after a car accident. The CBS crew described Boone as “a character seemingly plucked from the book,” and realized that, very similar to the main character in Enger’s novel, restoring the theatre “[was] far more than a business proposition.”

Boone hopes the comparisons stop at him restoring an old movie theatre, as he’s not interested in getting in an accident anytime soon.

Boone’s dedication to restoring this theatre had its ups and downs, from the tedious process of the renovation, to the heartwarming reopening in 2019, and even the closure due to COVID-19.

Boone hopes to reopen the theatre sometime in April, as more high-profile films are scheduled to begin releasing again.

“Real movie theatres help keep a sense of community in small town America,” Boone said with excitement.

The West Theatre has set up a webpage dedicated to what to expect for COVID protocols once the theatre reopens.

The historic restoration of the West Theatre