Somerville Theatre’s Operators Buy Their Davis Square Building for $12 Million, Then Ask the Public for Help

The people who run the Somerville Theatre now own it.

CSB Theatres, Inc., a company formed by longtime employees that has operated the venue’s film and live-music programming since 2025, has purchased the historic Davis Square building for $12 million, the same figure it was listed at when it went on the market this summer.

How the deal came together

• Two private lenders closed the financing gap: CSB co-owner Ian Brownell, a longtime supporter of independent film, and an unnamed theatre patron.
• The owners say they carry substantial debt, though they have not disclosed the amount.
• A GoFundMe campaign with a $90,000 goal had raised more than $7,000 by Friday afternoon. Limited-edition shirts and hoodies, memberships and ticket sales are meant to help, too.
• The Capitol Theatre in East Arlington, listed alongside the Somerville, was out of reach, but CSB secured an extended lease there.

The building

The theatre opened May 11, 1914, making it one of New England’s oldest continuously operating movie houses. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and sits in a city-designated historic district. Today it runs three screens, including an 840-seat main auditorium, plus the second-floor Crystal Ballroom and the corner café Mr. Crepe.

Co-owner Ian Judge, who grew up in Somerville, called the purchase a leap of faith. The owners plan to form a nonprofit in 2027 to support the theatre’s long-term programming.

Why it matters

Independent theatres across the country have closed when their buildings were sold out from under them. Somerville’s employees chose the harder path: buy the building, carry the debt, and ask the neighborhood to help keep the lights on.

Source: Boston.com. Reported and written by the Ecosystem Intelligence Desk.