MANCHESTER, Iowa -- The lights won't be out for long at Delaware County's lone movie theater.
A group of volunteers are hoping to save the 74-year-old Castle Theatre, a one-screen facility in downtown Manchester that has struggled to remain profitable.
Fridley Theaters, a movie theater company based in Des Moines, handed over ownership on Sept. 1 to Castle Theatre Inc., a non-profit group that plans to revitalize slumping community interest in the theater.
Fridley purchased Castle Theatre in 1992.
"We have a good theater," said Al Remling, board president of Castle Theatre Inc. "It just needs some tender, loving care."
The movie theater generated little revenue during its ownership, said Brian Fridley, vice president of Fridley Theaters. Fridley said entertainment attractions in nearby Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo took a toll on the theater.
"We thought it would be best if we found a group that would run it locally," Fridley said. "Having this private group running the theater ... the theater would
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Remling seized the opening, recalling his childhood in Delaware County when he would tag along with his brother to Castle Theatre.
He sensed the theater and its long history had deep meaning to citizens throughout the county.
"There were people interested in Manchester, but there was also a lot of interest in Delaware County," Remling said. "Ever since (the theater) closed, people would ask, 'What's going on in there?'"
Volunteers are working on restoring the neon lights on the marquee and updating the projector to improve screen quality. Around 130 volunteers have shown an interest in helping.
"It's pretty clean, top to bottom, on the inside," Remling said.
The theater will have two paid employees and up to four volunteers assisting each night. It is scheduled to re-open in October and operate seven days a week, said Deb Hamlin, secretary of Castle Theatre Inc.
"The volunteers are going to be a key element, and we hope people will stay interested," Hamlin said.
