A group of citizens met and thought a movie theatre would be a great addition to Lake City. In 1974, the organized Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. and purchased the Mountaineer Theatre which was located in Gunnison, Colorado. From the sale, the new owners acquired two Simplex carbon arc projectors, a popcorn and cotton candy machine, other concession equipment, and theatre seats. Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. bought three lots at the north end of Gunnison Avenue in Lake City and contracted with Keith Hegarty, a local builder, to build a theatre facility. The facility was completed by the end of the summer of 1975 and was officially opened in September 1975. The first film shown at the new Mountaineer Theatre was Young Frankenstein, starring Gene Wilder, Gene Hackman, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, and Marty Feldman.

The original owners of Mountaineer Theatre, Inc. were John Parker, Bill and Ruthanna Hall, Jim and Nancy Brooks, Gordon and Betty Peck, and Phillip and Carolyn Virden. The Virdens became the sole owners of the Mountaineer in the 1990s.

In 2012 and 2013, the Mountaineer underwent an extensive renovation by a local handyman, Roger Von Riesen. The projection room got a new Christie digital projector. The auditorium received a four-speaker stereo sound system and 104 new theatre seats (with cupholders!). The concession area was remodeled and a brand new Gold Medal popcorn machine and butter machine were purchased. Jamie Johnston, who grew up in Lake City, was also instrumental in helping to get the Mountaineer ready for operation.

The “new” Mountaineer reopened in May of 2013. However, the new seats had not arrived in time so customers were asked to bring their own chairs. The Mountaineer promoted “BYOC” and customers came with a variety of seating options such as lawn chairs, blankets, etc. One family brought a sofa! The sold-out crowd enjoyed the animated film, The Croods.

The Mountaineer tried to stay open in the winter. However, the building had inadequate heating. The Mountaineer even provided blankets for customers to try and stay warm. In 2016, the Virdens had the Mountaineer fully insulated by local contractors, Wally Hays. New propane heaters were installed by Joe Whidden. To the owner’s delight, that work enabled the Mountaineer to stay open the year-round. So, no blankets are no longer needed for customers to enjoy a movie in January!

The Virdens look forward to celebrating the Mountaineer’s 45th anniversary in 2020 by continuing to show the finest films available for its audience. Over those 45 years, our movie theatre has been a staple to the citizens of Lake City and its visitors. We continue to strive to provide both entertainment and a positive cinema experience for all of our customers.