Nine months after its purchase by a Chicago entertainment group, the Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. NE, celebrates its hundredth year of continuous operation, and the City of Columbia Heights has joined in the recognition. On Monday, Sept. 28, Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula and the Heights City Council presented theater manager Jeremy Marder with a certificate declaring October 8 as Heights Theater Day.
Council Member Laurel Deneen called the theater “A cherished cultural landmark and gathering place that has been an important part of our community for a century,” saying, “the continued success of Heights Theater is a testament to the enduring value of historic neighborhood theaters and the importance of places where communities gather and create lasting memories. The Heights 100th anniversary is not only a celebration of its remarkable history, but also of its continued importance to the Columbia Heights community.”
The Heights Theater has operated continuously for 100 years. Earlier this year, it was purchased by Music Box Theater and Ryan Oestreich. Previous owner Tom Letness called its operation “a testament to the enduring value of historic neighborhood theaters and the importance of places where communities gather and create lasting memories.” (Mark Peterson)
In the mid-1920s, Arthur Gluek, president of Gluek Brewing and president of the Columbia Heights State Bank, was looking for business opportunities to offset the beer company’s losses due to Prohibition. He built the Beaux Arts-style theater at Central and 39th Avenues NE in 1926 to present plays and vaudeville troupes, but it soon became a theater for silent movies. The theater added a pipe organ for music and sound effects. When movies came out with sound around 1927, the theater was ready for it.
Union problems led to series of theater bombings in 1933, affecting the Heights as well. The theater’s manager had been having trouble with the Minneapolis projectionists’ union since he hired an operator the previous July from the Independent Motion Picture Operators’ Union, Inc. The bomb damaged the front of the building, but no one was hurt and the movie was shown as scheduled. In October 1953, Heights owner William Levy was shot at when a robber took $800 while customers watched a western film.
Tom Letness and Dave Holmgren bought the movie house in 1998 and, over time, completed a total restoration of the interior and exterior, including removal of corrugated steel panels and exposing the original brick façade.
At the City Council meeting, Marder said he had spent three weeks working with former owner Letness to learn the operation of the theater, adding, “He was a great teacher, great person and a great shepherd of cinema. He passed it over to me and my job is to make sure that it lasts for another a hundred years.”
On Thursday, Oct. 1, Mayor Márquez Simula recognized the 100th anniversary of the Heights Theater, calling it “A cherished cultural landmark and gathering place that has been an important part of our community for a century.”
Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula, second from left, reading the declaration with Heights Theater programmer Naomi Osborn, co-owner Ryan Oestreich and manager Jeremy Marder. (Mark Peterson)
Márquez Simula added, “The Heights Theater opened its doors on October 8, 1926. Over the past 100 years, it has brought generations of residents together through movies, music, and shared experiences…and it has remained a vibrant part of Columbia Heights.”
The proclamation also recognized previous owner Tom Letness for the restoration done during his ownership. “The continued success of the Heights Theater is a testament to the enduring value of historic neighborhood theaters and the importance of places where communities gather and create lasting memories.”
The Heights Theater is celebrating its centennial with eight days of special programming through Oct. 8, 2026, culminating with its 100th birthday.