Magic Lantern Theatre to close for at least a week

The Magic Lantern Theatre in Spokane appears to be closing for at least a week, Aug. 12-18.

The small theater, which shows mostly independent and local films, has not updated its movie listings for the coming week on its website or at the theater, at 25 W. Main Ave.

The Magic Lantern’s Facebook page makes no mention of the closure.

Jim Sheehan, owner of the Saranac Building where the theater is located, said he doesn’t have much information yet, but he did confirm the Magic Lantern would be closed for an indefinite period.

“This is not a permanent closure,” Sheehan said. “It’s just a temporary thing.”

The Magic Lantern was founded in 1973 by owners Tom Stuart and Edward Coker. From 1973 to 1999, the theater temporarily closed four times, until closing for much longer in 1999, according to a Cinema Treasures article. In 2007, it reopened in the Saranac Building, which underwent ambitious renovations in 2005.

In June 2015, the theater closed for a week while it converted to digital projection format.