Columbia City Theater Remodels; Taps Former Crocodile Soundman

I recently chatted with Kevin Sur from local booking agency Artist Home (best known for being the organizers of Doe Bay Fest) about the future of Columbia City Theater (4916 Rainier Avenue South), the gorgeous old venue recently sold to new owners. Sur was made manager and talent buyer shortly after it was purchased last month.

"The short story is that we are currently remodeling the theater and making significant upgrades to every aspect of the building, including the installation of a sprinkler system, the addition of the kitchen, and upgrades to the live sound system," says Sur. "We've assembled a really great team who will be involved there. [Local journalist] Abbey [Simmons] and Sound on the Sound will be hosting a monthly showcase at the theater. [KEXP DJ] Larry Mizell Jr. will be presenting monthly hip hop showcases, and [beloved former Crocodile sound engineer] Jim Anderson will be the head of our live sound."

Sounds quite promising, though I would imagine pulling crowds out that way will continue to be a challenge for the space. I'll post more once I've had a chance to visit the venue.