Before It Was a Theater, an Old Idaho Building Was a Boat Repair Shop, a Car Dealership, and More [PICS]

Cinemas & Small-Town USA

Cinemas have been an American culture staple for over a hundred years.

For many of us, the experience of seeing a movie on the big screen is something we can’t replicate at home or anywhere else. As convenient as they are, streaming services fall short of the feeling we get from sitting in a darkened room full of strangers thirsty for entertainment. In a town as tiny as Blackfoot, Idaho that lacks the larger-scaled resources, attractions, and recreational opportunities of Boise, this is especially true.

On the special role they play in Small-Town USA, Hollywood Insider offers a thoughtful perspective.

Theaters matter because they provide a vital service to society. They nurture creativity and inspire imagination. They give us a place to escape from our everyday lives and experience something new. They bring us together as a community and help us connect with each other on a deeper level. —N.P. Pasquale

The History of the Blackfoot Movie Mill

Built in the 1900s, the Blackfoot Movie Mill has given residents something to talk about since 2018 when it opened its doors. Before it was a theater, the Movie Mill was a boat repair shop, a car dealership, a creamery, and a boat salvage yard. Somewhere along the way, the building even caught fire and a substantial section of it was incinerated.

On breathing new life into a building that has endured multiple lives, Ken Lott, owner of the Movie Mill and Idaho Falls Royal Theater, said they “integrated the history of the building into its updates, [by] using wood from the old attached barn for all of its cabinets.” Additionally, Lott says the name “Movie Mill” also holds significant meaning.

“I really like the name of the Movie Mill, and this building’s perfect because it’s an old building and the way we’re dressing it up is kind of rustic. I just think it has a fun feeling to it,” Kent Lott says.

If you ask us, that fun feeling Lott mentions is amplified by the theater’s exceptionally affordable ticket prices, its 7.1 certified QSC sound system, and it being the first theater in Idaho to incorporate laser technology.

Date Night for Cheap at the Blackfoot Movie Mill

Treat yourself and your partner to a date night that won't break the bank! As we mentioned earlier, part of the Movie’s Mill massive appeal is its affordable prices for new Box Office releases.

Where movie goers at the Village in Meridian would pay $9.00 for an evening showing of the New Super Mario Bros Movie, the Movie Mill charges just $7.25 a ticket no matter the time of day. A bucket-75 might not seem like much of a difference, but to families of four or more, it’s a handsome savings.

Keep scrolling to see pictures of Idaho’s most unique movie theater!

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