PULLMAN, Wash. — Pullman's Village Centre Cinemas is permanently closing on Thursday, September 5.
The theater sits tucked away on Bishop Boulevard and serves as the small community of Pullman's only movie theater.
The theater's Assistant Manager, Noah Thompson says he will miss his job at the theater.
"I've been here a long time, and I really like this job," said Thompson. "I've been employed here since July of 2020."
Thompson started working at the theater while he was still in high school, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued working there through his first two years of college. He says the theater has been a big part of his life.
"We closed down a couple of times because of Covid back in 2020," said Thompson.
The theater persisted through COVID-19 lockdowns, but this time the closure is for good.
Management says the closure is due to a Pullman city admissions tax, as well as property tax increases and increased minimum wage laws in Washington state.
"We were basically just called in and told the movie theater is going to be closing," said Thompson. "It was this huge lump sum of money that we couldn't pay so we had to shut down."
The theater posted on Facebook on August 17 announcing its closure and asking that the Pullman community support the theater in its remaining days. Thompson says he wishes he was given earlier notice, because not only is he losing a nostalgic piece of community, but also his job.
"I grew up in Pullman too, I've been going here since I was a kid," said Thompson. "I've been just trying to find a job, but it's been kind of tough since the school year already started."
The theater will remain vacant after the closure, as no other business has announced that it will buy the building.
"Knowing that it's going to be out here, just sitting empty, inoperable, is really unfortunate," said Thompson. "It's a lot of good memories for me and the community."
For information on the final movie screenings, visit the Pullman Village Centre Cinemas website.