High River residents are anxiously waiting to find out who will buy the southern Alberta town’s movie theatre. The Wales Theatre, originally called the Highwood Theatre when it opened in 1927, is up for sale for close to $1.1 million.
The Kidwai family, have owned and run the theatre since 2000, but it’s “just time to pass the torch,” said Joshua Torrence, an associate broker at Century 21 Foothills Real Estate in High River, about 50 kilometres south of Calgary. When the realtor posted the listing on social media, local residents were sad to hear that the owners, who Torrence said have become a “staple in the community,” were moving on. “They’re nervous that it’s the end of an era,” said Torrence, a High River resident who has been watching movies in the theatre for years.
“But the good news is that the people that are after it want to continue the tradition, want to run it as a theatre.” And the family wants to find a buyer who will keep the theatre running for years to come, he said. “Everybody who’s had their hand on it has done 20-, 25-plus years operating it.
” There’s been plenty of interest in the property, which also includes commercial space currently leased to a Domino’s Pizza and a two-bedroom residential suite above the restaurant. The theatre business is included in the property sale. “This opportunity doesn’t come up a whole bunch,” said Torrence about owning a movie theatre.
When it opened, the downtown High River theatre.