Amid a surge of new businesses, landmark construction and mixed-use developments, the future of Downtown Wildwood continues to be reshaped.
Change has been prevalent along the Pacific Avenue corridor in recent years, but appears to be reaching a crescendo with the completions of the mammoth Seaport Suites and the sprawling residences of The Oasis, a pair of prime BG Capital projects set to be ready by Spring 2023.
Meanwhile, commercial investment in the area remains steady, with additions like The Cove at Wildwood, One Fish Two Fish, Curry Inne and SOL, along with small biz shops like GUPPI and The Yellow Umbrella, all in the vicinity of Byrne Plaza, the district’s community gathering and events hub (opened in 2018).
With “old” and “new” intermingling in this time of flux, Pacific Avenue is also home to a number of curiosities - buildings long shuttered, many facing an uncertain future while bearing the vestiges of bygone eras.
No entity fits this bill better than the former Sea Theater at 4005 Pacific; well, except for the “facing an uncertain future” part. After years of rumors and speculation about its fate, the century-old, original nickelodeon was purchased by new owners who are in the process of restoring it to its former glory.
Old Movies By The Sea will be a fully-functioning movie house and events venue, with seating and dinner tables for up to 40 people in the renovated theater room. A newly-constructed outdoor rear patio will feature overhead cover and multiple large TV screens, to allow guests to view whatever is being shown inside.
Guests enter from Pacific Avenue into a small lobby, with a ticket booth and concession stand, that leads into the theater. The main room consists of seven rows of seating set on an inclined ramp (in other words, height increases as you move toward the back) facing a stage. Deep red period wallpaper and lighting fixtures compliment an early-20th century aura, complimented by some modern touches.
The venture was described as a “true labor of love” by proprietors Glenn Kingsbury and Karen Drew, Wildwood residents and the owners of Spirit Brands, which has been running cheerleading competitions at the Wildwoods Convention Center and throughout the region since 2003.
“At the heart of this project has been the idea of bringing back something very special from the past and modernizing it for the present and future,” explained Kingsbury. “We wanted to do this for the community and to contribute to the improvement of Pacific Avenue.”
Kingsbury explained that classic film screenings will only be part of what Old Movies By The Sea is all about.
“We see this as a unique space, a place for all kinds of events,” he continued. “Showing movies in an intimate showing is the main draw, but the stage is set up so that we can host concerts, comedy nights, other live shows, receptions, you name it.
“Sporting events, football games. We’ll be selling tickets so you can watch the games in a totally different setting, inside the theater and out on the deck. Maybe an office would like to host a presentation. We have the projector and screen, we can do that.”
Drew said that the theater will be open year round and estimated that it could host 30-40 events a week.
“A standard movie is about two hours, other events could be longer or a bit shorter depending on the need,” she said. “We’ll be developing a schedule soon and an easy way for guests to know what’s coming and how they can rent out the theater for their own use.”
The restoration and reopening of the theater is a major win for Downtown Wildwood as well as local preservation efforts, according to Taylor Henry, president of the Wildwood Historical Society and vice president of Preserving the Wildwoods, an alliance that advocates for “architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings” on the island.
“This is actually one of Wildwood’s most important buildings,” said Henry. “It’s a dream come true for me that it will be restored and remain a theater. It’s one of my favorite buildings in Wildwood and has been part of my neighborhood for as long as I can remember. Plus, it’s such a unique experience viewing a film in a nickelodeon as opposed to a multiplex.”
Henry said that the building dates to 1915 or 1916, making it well over 100 years old.
“This was one of the last nickelodeons built in the U.S.,” she noted. “It was not believed to have survived for more than a summer season, closing by 1920, when movie palaces became the standard in the film industry. The brick was changed to retail, and for a time the building served as Harry Keating’s Music Shop.”
A composer, Keating wrote the popular song “I’m Wild About Wildwood” at this location. A recording can be found at the George F. Boyer Museum, home of the historical society, just one block north.
“The building went through several changes over the years, and was eventually purchased by the Penkalskyj family in 1998,” Henry further explained. “They uncovered the sloped concrete floor and original red wallpaper, and restored it to its original function, operating as the Sea Theater from 2004 to 2012.”
In the almost-decade since, the building has sat quietly, with posters of movies from another time still displayed in the windows. An uncovered front door allowed glimpses of the quaint lobby, seemingly frozen in time.
“This building has such a mystique, something about it that draws you in,” said Drew, noting that she would often pass by while walking her dogs and wonder about a possible revival of the property.
“You would always see people peering through the windows, during summer and winter, just curious about the place. I would do the same. We eventually decided, well, we’re Wildwood people. We want to do what’s best for this community and there’s just so much potential here. So, we dove into it.”
Added Kingsbury: “You can feel the history in this building, and that’s something we tried to take into account with every step of the process of bringing it back to life. We can’t wait for everyone to see it and feel it, too.”
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