Reels keep rolling for one of The City’s oldest movie houses

Don’t tell anyone I’m admitting this, but as a long-time Outer Richmond resident, I must confess there’s not that much going on out here.*

The neighborhood has a handful of charming aspects, however; and among them is walking down Balboa Street on a dark, blustery night and observing the Balboa Theatre’s red marquee glow through the fog like a warm fireplace.

And now word has it the 85-year-old theater will continue burning its fire for at least another decade.

On Wednesday, the S.F. Neighborhood Theater Foundation (SFNTF) announced a new lease on the historic movie house that will last through 2024. The partnership between the foundation and the Balboa’s long-time operator Gary Meyer will hopefully ensure the future of one of the city’s oldest remaining theaters.

First on the agenda? Saturday’s 10 a.m. open house, where the public is invited to meet the theater’s new owners and share thoughts and ideas for the theater’s future.

*Confront me about this on a normal day, though, and I will fight you tooth and nail.