Fate of century-old Everett theatre hangs in the balance
May 16, 2025, 10:34 AM
Patrons wait for the start of a movie sitting in the auditorium. (Photo: Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
(Photo: Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
After 11 years of managing the 124-year-old Historic Everett Theatre, the nonprofit Historic Everett Theatre Preservation Society may soon step away.
The building has been sold to Bellevue real estate agent Johnny Phan, with the sale closing May 30, according to The Everett Herald.
Curt and Craig Shriner, brothers, initially saved the theater from foreclosure in 2014, reviving it with concerts, community events, and live performances. However, Craig, the principal owner, is getting ready to retire, and the theater has been on the market since before the pandemic.
Ownership change puts Historic Everett Theatre’s future in doubt
Phan, a Bellevue-based real estate agent with Skyline Properties, Inc., intends to renovate the building this summer, canceling all July and August events. Phan insists the theater will continue operating like it does now and still plans to host events.
While a new nonprofit could be chosen to run the theater, current staff and volunteers are uneasy about the future of their jobs. Curt Shriner said he may try to rent the space for future shows, though costs could prove to be a barrier.
The final event under the current management will be on June 28, featuring radio host George Noory. After that, the future of the theater’s programming and the preservation society remains uncertain.
