We love seeing historic cinemas brought back to life, and the The Plaza Theatre & Venue in Shaunavon, SK, is a shining example!
Originally built in 1927 as a dance pavilion and converted into a talkie theatre in 1930, the Plaza has been at the heart of its small-town community (current population about 1,800) for nearly a century. Thanks to generations of care, the building’s historic charm remains intact, right down to Bert, the beloved 1950s popcorn machine still in use today!
For this Member of the Month, we spoke with Ty Hunter, who has taken the reins of the Plaza and is infusing it with new energy and vision. Alongside showing films, he and his wife have opened a cozy coffeehouse in the building, welcomed local artists into its spaces, and are preparing to launch live music and theatre events.
We highly recommend checking out their exuberant lip-sync video celebrating their opening screening of The Greatest Showman. The Plaza team’s energy and excitement is totally infectious, and will make you want to book a trip to Shaunavon!
Tell us about the Plaza Theatre & Venue:
The Plaza Theatre & Venue is a beautiful historic building in the heart of Shaunavon Saskatchewan, a warm and welcoming community of about 1,800 people.
It was constructed in 1927 by contractor Edward (Ted) Strickland for Lewis Benjamin (Charley) and Lily Durham as a dance pavilion. The two storey building with a partial basement contained offices, lodge room, a ladies restroom and men’s smokeroom, and dancehall with a hardwood floor. In 1930, the building was renovated to become a Famous Players Corporation “talkie” movie theatre with seating for up to 640.
What makes the Plaza Theatre & Venue unique?
The Plaza Theatre has brought joy and smiles to people since 1927. Many theatres have collapsed, or have needed significant repairs in the last period of time. The Goldstein Family took immaculate care of the building, and its foundation will stand for many years to come. They renovated a lot of the technology and equipment in 2012, but really preserved the history of the space. It’s a really incredible building with a lot of character and charm.
In 2017, my wife and I opened up an independent cafe in Shaunavon called Meeting Grounds Coffee House. When COVID hit, we needed to close the doors. However, later on in 2020, we decided to re-open the coffee shop in a new location, which happened to be one of the ground spaces that the Plaza Theatre had previously been used for with all sorts of ventures including barbers, real estate agencies, and more.
At the time we were just renting, but since taking ownership of the building, the coffee shop will take up permanent residence. It has now been open for almost 8 years, serving the Southwest community with espresso, lunch options, boutique, and a cozy seating area. Having a coffeehouse as part of the building is something unique.
The Plaza Theatre also has a stage and will be housing many live events in the days to come. My background is in live entertainment, so I will be bringing many shows to our community and can’t wait to give people immersive experiences for years to come!
One of my best friends in the world is an artist who rents a space in the theatre above the coffeehouse. His work is becoming widely recognized – you can check him out at Robertson Arts.
Why did you decide to take over the Plaza Theatre & Venue?
As previously mentioned, we were renting the space in the portion of the building that was sanctioned off from the rest of the theatre for our Coffee House. It wasn’t a long term solution to continue renting, so we asked the Goldstein family if they would ever consider selling the whole theatre.
Ever since I was a little boy, I remember feeling so much joy in the building. I anticipated going to the movies, eating the popcorn, and feeling the magic as I would walk through its doors. In the back of my mind, I always had the hope and dream of using the space for live theatre, and creating lasting memories for people in its walls. One day, I stepped out, and asked to see if they would ever sell the space, but wanted to be mindful that it had been in their family since 1927 which is a tremendous amount of time. As it turns out, they caught our vision for the space and said yes. I’m forever grateful and emotionally moved by the fact that they gave us the opportunity. I could not be happier.
What sort of films do you plan to show?
So far, we have mostly shown films from 2025, but started with one from 2017 – The Greatest Showman.
I wanted that film to kick off the venture, as the music and storyline have spoken to me on so many levels. I wanted people to know that this space is going to be a house where everyone is welcome – a place to laugh, to dream, to cry, and to feel. Life can be so tricky, and we all need spaces to go that allow us to experience joy. That’s ultimately what I want people to feel when they walk through the doors – joy, anticipation, and purpose.
What are the Plaza Theatre & Venue’s greatest challenges?
I think that any older cinema owner understands right now that the economy is tight for many, and older buildings are expensive to upkeep. That isn’t exclusive to the Plaza – it’s a general struggle for a lot of people in the industry. With AI being an ever-increasing entity, we need to get creative with what we are offering to offset the costs of running these operations.
Ultimately, I think it will be workable as long as the community continues to walk through its doors, and enjoys what’s being offered. The theatre has been a family run business for 95 years, and we hope to keep the magic alive.
What are your most popular concession items?
Popcorn and soda still remain the most popular concession items. Plaza Popcorn was always a staple of my childhood growing up, so we needed to be sure to carry on the tradition, making use of the machine that is still here from the 1950’s. We called him Bert!
What projects are you considering for the future?
We are going to be launching our live events in December, kicking it off with a Juno-winning artist that I can’t release the name of as of yet. From there, we will be offering live events in 2026 with musical performances, live theatre, and reimagined movie nights.
The coffee house will continue to run, and eventually we will be offering later closing times, so that people can come socialize after films & shows. I also teach music lessons, and will be using the space to house those masterclasses. We have lots up our sleeves! 🙂
Tell us about yourself; how did you get your start in film exhibition?
My background is in the agriculture/entertainment industry. I have four siblings that I sing and play in a band with on a national scale, so I’m familiar with production, live events, and hospitality. I always loved attending the theatre, but have been actively learning the ropes from the previous owners, and members in the NICE community. I’m so grateful for your organization, and the help you have given to re-launching The Plaza Theatre & Venue. Thank you.
