Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Colter.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
About fifteen years ago, I met one of the other co-owners of the theater—Tom—while working at Dark Horse Comics. The Clinton Street Theater was for sale then under a previous owner named Seth. Tom and I discussed taking over operations with a focus on live music, but couldn’t afford the asking price at the time. Fast forward a few years later and the COVID-19 shutdowns had taken a toll on the entire industry. The owners at that time, the Leighs, had done a great job of converting the theater into a repertory arthouse cinema, but were unsure of how to reopen and sustain the business. I came onboard as a volunteer programmer and then purchased the business from them after about a year. Tom and I still didn’t have enough money, so we brought on a few other co-owners, pooling our money and working shifts to get the place up and running at full capacity again. It has been almost five years now and we’ve been able to hire a small, part-time staff. There are always highs and lows, always repairs and other work needing done. But the theater is in a sustainable place at the moment. We’re showing a number of independent and cult classic films, live shows, and community events. It’s a very special corner of Portland.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a bumpy road, to say the least. Outside of needing to gather seven people together to fund the initial costs, we’ve needed to update almost all of the projection, sound, and lighting equipment. Operating out of a 111-year-old building, there’s always something that needs addressing. We have new landlords who are trying to fix issues that have long been neglected. Costs are rising all around, from insurance, goods, services, etc. And studio licensing is a constant changing landscape with mergers and rights. We’ve been fortunate to work with a couple of smaller, independent film distributors to show some unique titles that can sometimes draw a crowd. So, even though we’re sustainable at the moment, like many small businesses, we’re always a bad month or two away from possibly closing. All of us as owners work separate, full-time day jobs. It’s really a labor of love on nights and weekends along with our wonderful part-time staff.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Outside of the theater, I used to operate a little independent music recording project with friends here in Portland. That really helped me learn how to put together events, work with artists, and promote releases. My day job is in tech marketing, which is very boring, but it pays the bills.
How do you think about happiness?
Running the theater can be tiring, but it’s seeing a full house for a special event that really warms my heart. I think we cultivate a very important artistic space at our corner of the world. Bringing people together in real life is essential to maintaining a healthy community, especially as we grow more isolated and discounted from spending time on digital platforms owned by the richest villains in history. Running the theater, you feel the historic weight of keeping this space going into the future. The Clinton Street Theater is one of the oldest continuously operating cinemas in America. It has been a place for self expression, progressive causes, and outsider art for fifty years or more. In a weird way, that responsibility brings some happiness—the pride of keeping something going that’s bigger than you, something that has touched so many lives over the years.
Pricing:
- Most screenings are $10
- Most live events are $20
- Most celebrity events are $35-50
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cstpdx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clinton_street_theater/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cstpdx
