I think this has been discussed before, but official confirmation that Rialto is closing in a few weeks, the last movie is Rocky Horror Picture Show (which is awesome), and it doesn’t seem especially certain what is coming in next. But likely more art based and less regular movie theater based apparently?
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I don’t think they could’ve ever lasted as a normal theater. I think it’s important to turn to more of a niche. Especially in such an old theater in what has the ability to be one of the coolest parts of the city. Maybe it’ll trigger something for the better for Five Points
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Agree. They’ve got a great following (at least from what I see) so going niche should work well. I’m not seeing any community aspects to it, like film discussions or groups that hang before/after shows. Maybe I’m missing these groups? 
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We were (ir)regulars at RHPS in college. Good times. Very sad to see it close.
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The town I grew up in had a little two-screen theater like that - usually showed artsy films, did great business. Of course now that I look it up, it’s showing Bullet Train and Top Gun, so I guess that business model went out the window 
https://www.cinemark.com/theatres/ca-mill-valley/cinearts-sequoia
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Check the Rialto official Facebook page, the owner made a post yesterday about his retirement and the TEMPORARY closing - and said that Rialto will continue on with new management, with more details forthcoming. I don’t think this is any impending doom, just the current owner/manager getting old and wanting to retire and pass the torch! I just hope they continue showing more of the indie films that major theaters don’t generally get (at least until Alamo came to town), but maybe some more live experiences would be cool. They have always done the live Rocky Horror performances, but that big stage in front of the screen could be so much more utilized. Personally, I’d love to host a “Bad Movie night” and screen long forgotten terrible films, or even so-bad-it’s-good cult classics, and hell maybe even add some sort of “Mystery Science Theatre” live aspect to it. Live comedy could also do really well here. So many possibilities!
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Sounds like a great way to go out of business.
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Nah, I’d totally go to that. We have some friends that we only watch terrible movies with, like Ghoulies and Troll 2.
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Yup, I’m down as well. Love making fun of and laughing at horrible movies.
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Well my friend, you are cordially invited to my first screening, which will be one of the greatest worst big-budget Hollywood movies ever made: Stephen King’s DREAMCATCHER. We will have butt-themed snacks, and anyone that shows up sporting fake, bushy white eyebrows gets a free popcorn. (IYKYK)
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There could be a Sharknado marathon 
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I’d love to host a “Bad Movie night” and screen long forgotten terrible films, or even so-bad-it’s-good cult classics
I like this idea. Alamo does this (or at least used to) with their “Terror Tuesdays” and “Weird Wednesdays”
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It’s probably been a decade since it closed, but does anyone remember the Galaxy Theatre in Cary? It had a truly ambitious slate of retro and independent films. They’d also get local artists to make movie posters for some of their showings of classics. One of my favorite birthday gifts was when someone got me the one they had up for Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
If something like that could exist at the Rialto as a complement to Alamo, that would be great. Or even if the Alamo took it over and used it for their large movie parties and they could get more adventurous with their independent films and place them there.
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I worked at the Rialto back in the early late 80’s and it had turned into this sort of artsy house after a decline into I don’t recall. I saw smokey in the bandit there as a kid, the only time I recall going. I know it was killed by the multiplex’s like North Hills, particularly when NH got that big 65 mil projector from the Ambassador.
It became a place for indy films, stuff that would be there for a week and in the Spectator and Independent, a few bands, and Rocky Horror at midnight on the weekends. That’s what made the money. The old Tower theater use to show it, but stopped and they picked it up. I expect it has been there since.
Its a cool little theater, if you’ve never been, and its RHPS there is iconic Raleighwood.
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I’ve been there to see the neighborhood movie. Yeah they got limited packages but expensive food. They were those different types of movie theater.
Some sneaky peaks of East End Bistrot and also plans for the next phase apparently.
(Photo credit for one of these shots to @GucciLittlePenguin)
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I see that the (now) 10-story building has become a clone of the 10-story Smoky Hollow office building LMAO
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Standard “industrial” office building aesthetic, which makes sense for those developments. Good looking, if nothing memorable.
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