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Nov. 5, 2014 STETTLER, ALBERTA
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Opinion
Byron and Sonya Geddes and their children, Alex and Rogan, stand in front of the sign above the Jewel Theatre. The family has purchased the business and plans to reopen it in late November.
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Geddes family bringing movies back to town Joel van der Veen INDEPENDENT REPORTER Stettler’s silver screen will soon be aglow once again, thanks to a local family that hopes to have the Jewel Theatre back up and running by the end of November. The theatre, which closed its doors in mid-August, has been purchased by Stettler residents Byron and Sonya Geddes, who plan to operate it as a family business. “There’s been lots of speculation, but
it’s going to be a theatre again,” said Byron Geddes, explaining that he had heard many people comment on how much they missed going to the movies. “We felt that the community needed a theatre again,” he said. “I think there was a real void in the community when it closed.” The current plan is to have what Byron called a “soft opening” the week of Nov. 21 through 27, with the grand opening taking place during Moonlight Madness on
Nov. 28. Between now and then, the Geddes family and others will be hard at work doing some extensive renovations, giving a “full facelift” to the lobby area with fresh paint and carpeting, and a new concession area. Byron said they’ll also give the auditorium a new coat of paint and “lots of cleanup, lots of cleanup.” He wouldn’t say what would be playing at the premiere but promised it would be a crowd-pleaser. continued on page 4
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