Guild 45th Theatre

We are now standing in front of the Guild 45th Theatre. It was built in 1919, and was called the Paramount. In 1983, the Guild gained a second screen two doors down, with a pizza house in between as a lobby.

When you stand in front of the Guild Theatre, you can hear sounds of people walking, talking, driving and having a good time. Besides getting a new paint job every ten years, the Guild hasn't changed very much on the outside. A lot has changed on the inside. There are new seats, and a lot of other new things. We had a chance to talk to Nick, an employee of the Landmark Theaters, about the changes:

NICK C.: The seats themselves are very popular...

The Theatre started as a live Theatre stage, but once it changed its name, it became a movie theatre. The Guild changed its name because in downtown Seattle, a larger theatre opened with the same name. The Guild is on an un-even street. When larger trucks and busses would drive by the Guild, they would hit the marquee.

NICK: Metro bus system ended up paying for a nice remodel of the marquee...

During the first week of a films run, the Guild gets 10 cents out of every dollar, and 90 cents goes to the film producer. So, how do they make any money?

NICK: Theatres now make most of their money from concessions...

When the Guild got a second screen in 1983, the owners of the Guild began to make more money because more people were able to come watch movies. That changed the site by making it more popular. It changed the community by having another place to show independent films.

NICK: Seven Gables Theatres has played films of a more artful nature ...

Nick told us that there are future plans to even out 45th street, so that there will be no more banging the marquee. The Guild is a place to come and see a movie with your friends or family and is an important part of Wallingford's history. It has been here for many, many years, and hopefully will be here for many more.