Reel Colorful: Historic Pocatello theater unveils bold new murals
POCATELLO — For 77 years, the building at 310 E. Oak St. has been a fixture of the community, a locally owned movie theater that has drawn generation after generation through its doors. Now it is stepping into its next act, with new murals sprawled across its exterior. The theater opened in 1949 as the Crest Theatre and reemerged in 1986 as the Reel Theatre. Saundra Lewis began managing it in 1988 and bought it in 2000. The Reel has functioned as a second-run movie house for decades and recently replaced its weathered and chipped mural with brand-new displays from local artist Nick Hottmann. The previous pitted patina of the exterior walls got a new cream coat over the summer, which laid the foundation for Hottmann’s contemporary-meets-classic design. Lewis worked closely with Hottmann on a design that would be a spiritual successor to the 2011 mural painted by local high schoolers. Lewis said the theater initially tried to save the older mural. The paint kept flaking whenever workers tried to stabilize it, and an attempt to have Hottmann add to it failed. After 15 years in the elements, Lewis decided to start fresh. The new artwork keeps the theater’s old
