Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Rio Theater owner Mike Kinney has put the facility up for sale after operating Sweet Home’s only movie theater for three years.
Kinney is selling for health reasons, he said. His health problems aren’t bad, but he needs to take it easy.
“I’ve put a lot of physical, hard work into the place,” Kinney said. He has put his time, effort and love into the Rio “to make this a nice place to come.”
The Rio is safe and brought up to modern standards, but unlike other modern movie complexes, he still offers candy for a quarter and keeps prices low.
Kinney said he has had interest expressed from potential buyers but the theater’s not sold.
He said he plans to keep the Rio open daily through the end of the year. The final run for movies in 2005 includes “Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire” through Dec. 15, then the Rio will screen “Walk the Line,” a biography of outlaw country singer Johnny Cash. Beginning Dec. 23, the Rio will run “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe through the end of the year.
While the Rio is running new features all week long, Kinney will not offer $2 Tuesday’s classic films, which have been “fairly successful.”
“I’ve created a nice little concept here,” Kinney said. The Rio is a family-oriented theater, with no R-rated movies. “I like it when the seniors come, and of course, I’ve got the kids on Friday night.”
Kinney wants to see what he’s built continue.
“Everyone interested in the theater, with one exception, wants to keep it the exact same format,” Kinney said, and he is willing to train any buyer to run the business. The business is easy to operate and maintain, and the equipment is in perfect condition and will last if given proper maintenance and service.
“I love this place,” Kinney said. “And I love this business. It’s fun. It’s exciting.”
He has enjoyed getting to meet and know the people of Sweet Home through feature presentations along with the other services he provides, including a setting for parties, conferencing and video gaming. Anything he can put onto a computer screen he can place on the big screen through a new $30,000 digital projector.
“Everybody likes the theater,” Kinney said. Four generations have attended movies at the theater and even the governor wrote about how much he liked it earlier this year.
“There’s a big resurgence and love for these old single-screen theaters,” Kinney said. He points to neighboring Lebanon’s Kuhn Theater and a refurbished theater in Albany being reopened by the owner of Stayton’s Star Theater.
“It’s like a family town, a family theater,” Kinney said. He has stressed service and a pleasant, cheerful welcome at his theater.
He will miss the Rio, and it has been a good run, he said. “Absolutely worth every ache and pain. It’s almost like a home to me here.”
Kinney is taking it easier in other parts of his life also. He recently resigned from the Sweet Home Economic Development Group’s Downtown Revitalization Committee and did not apply to be reappointed to the Sweet Home Planning Commission when his term expired this month.