Its heyday

The Geitner Theatre came to the village of Silver Creek in its boom days — according to longtime residents Irene Blakely and her sister, Anna Frederickson, a resident could get whatever he or she needed well into the middle of the last century, all without leaving the downtown area.

“We had Gasaway’s Restaurant, Roof’s Restaurant, and of course The Revere Inn,” Blakely told the OBSERVER. “Valvo’s Candy Kitchen had tables inside; you could get candy or ice cream. Then there was Smith’s Dress Shop (about where A Cut Above the Rest is now), and that was fancier clothes.

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“If you complimented your aunt or someone on a dress, she would always say ‘Oh, I got it down to Smith’s.'”

Frederickson agreed, saying there was also “Guarcello’s (Heating and Plumbing) next to the theatre, then a shoe store, Elliot’s Jewelry, a barber shop, Tilden’s Variety Store, and Western Auto … that had all kinds of odds and ends.”

So it makes sense that along with all of that — which basically comprised a miniature, insular metropolis — one would need a place to take his best gal on Saturday night, or to catch a matinee with her girlfriends.

“That was where my husband and I used to go for our Saturday night out,” said Blakely. “Before we were married. The line to get in went all the way to the five-and-dime. That was in the ’50s. A lot of people didn’t have televisions; only what we considered the ‘richer’ people had them, so the theatre is where you went to see the pictures.”

Blakely said she remembers that everyone was very taken with movies showing the latest dance steps, since a lot of what they had “at home” was country dancing or square dancing. Her favorite stars were John Wayne and Roy Rodgers, though.

Photos courtesy of Vince Martonis, town of Hanover historian Above, a photo of the theatre’s lobby in the 1920s. Below, Mr. Geitner (right), owner of the Geitner Theatre, stands in front of his movie house with his children on a winter’s day. In the background, an advertisement proclaims that the Geitner Theatre was showing the movie “Dancing Feet” at that time, starring Ben Lyon and Joan Marsh. Online information says the movie debuted in 1936.

“The Westerns were always very popular,” she said. “Back then, I think movies cost about 50 cents. Maybe it went up to a dollar.”

That’s a far cry from today’s $10 and up movie ticket costs!

Decline, disuse

Like many single-screen movie houses, the Geitner lost its appeal to modern audiences in the 1980s, as malls and movieplexes took over. Young people in Silver Creek either headed to the city of Dunkirk or farther, to Buffalo and its suburbs, when they wanted a night out. VHS movies could be rented or bought for nights at home in front of the television — and, unlike in the 1950s, it seemed like almost everyone had a TV at home.

By then, the Geitner was showing discounted movies on their second runs. The roof leaked. The brocaded curtains, which had once framed stars like Audrey Hepburn and Gene Kelly, hung limp and heavy with years of dust. In August of 1985, the Geitner showed its last movie: “The Legend of Billie Jean,” starring Helen Slater. In fact, the poster advertising the film continued to hang in one of the theatre’s glass-fronted marquee boxes for the next decade, its sharp lines fading as it was bleached by the sun.

For 11 years, the theatre sat empty. The roof continued to buckle, until sections of the balcony and ceiling came to rest on the tops of the interior doors. Water poured in, ruining the wallpaper, washing away the murals, and ruining the plaster cameos set into the wall medallions. The curtains mouldered into rags. Creatures seeking shelter crept in, making nests and burrows inside and beneath the seats.

The Geitner Theatre was wrecked.

It was ruined.

Almost.

A revival

Then, something magical happened in 1996. A young couple, freshly married, convinced the theatre’s then-owner to sell the place (though he couldn’t believe they wanted it!).

“He tried to talk us out of it,” said Matt Bogosian, who bought the place with his wife, Karen. “He said ‘You don’t want it. Trust me. It’s too far gone.’ And it was bad.”

“So much of it was ruined,” said Karen. “But we knew it was the place. We saw through all of the fallen plaster and the mold to what it could be.”

At that time, Matt was touring in the US and abroad with the group Mountain, with Lesle West on the guitar and lead vocals. Matt played bass. Karen, who was a travel agent, joined her hubby on the road whenever she could, and she kept a map with pins in all the places Matt had played. The final tally showed 36 states and six countries. But then, home sweet home started to call them back.

“We decided maybe it was time to settle down,” said Matt. “We wanted to have a family. You can’t take kids on the road!”

(The Bogosians took a moment here to say that their boys, Zak and Alex, who play in the band Imortal, think their parents are nuts for giving up life on the road.)

Matt and Karen, who had dated in high school and even come to the Geitner Theatre on dates in the ’80s, explained that even then, they had a dream: They wanted to open a hangout space for kids and teens, one that welcomed everyone, where they could dance, play music, and be themselves.

“We looked at several places in town,” said Matt, “but they just didn’t work for whatever reason. Acoustics were bad, or they were too small. Then we saw this place. And that was it. We were sure.”

Even then, the Bogosians looked more like MTV superstars than construction workers or engineers. Still, they were determined, quitting their jobs and pouring their life savings (and then some) into the endeavor. They tied back their long hair in ponytails, called all of their handy friends and Matt’s dad, and drew up plans. On July 27, they got the keys and began the clean-up. It would take them only until July 5, 1997 to open their doors, but that year was filled with 12-hour days of quite literal blood, sweat and tears.

See THEATRE, Page A7

Among other things, the roof had to be jacked up and repaired, and the floor had to be leveled.

“We wanted a dance club, so the slanted floor had to go,” said Karen. “So we had to build it up. But first we had to get the seats out, (which) were all bolted into the floor. None of the bolts would loosen up, so we had to cut through all of them.”

The Bogosians decided early on that they didn’t want to use the entire interior space. Matt explained that part of the magic of a good show is a great crowd; you can’t capture that when a space feels empty.

“We played a show once in this little bar, but about 300 people had packed into it to see us,” he said. “You can’t beat that kind of energy.”

And, because he and Karen had to figure things out as they went along, this problem, too, was solved.

“We actually put up a new building inside the old building,” said Matt. “There is a few feet between the wall you see in the Club Room and the wall of the theatre. And the old screen and stage is beyond (the back) wall. There is a good six feet from the top of the inner roof to the actuall roof of the building. You can stand up in the space between.”

In this way, The Backline fits inside of the Geitner Theatre in the same manner as Russian dolls. Logistically, it makes sense.

“We have neighbors. We always wanted to be good neighbors. There are apartments next door, and other businesses. Having the building-in-a-building allows for sound insulation (as well as insulation for heating). We can have a band in here at 11 p.m., and you can’t hear a thing from the street outside.”

Karen, who has held many yoga and other fitness classes at The Backline in the Club Room, also said the building’s plan keeps outside noise out.

“You don’t want to have a yoga class, with meditation, when you can hear every noise on the street,” she said. “When there’s a yoga class in here, it’s calm and peaceful.”

The Club Room features a snack bar, a full stage, a wooden dance floor, club lights, and more. Outside of that, there’s a hangout area with couches and a fooseball table, along with arcade games and rock-n-roll memorabilia. An operational toy train circles the ceiling, steaming around Fun Night attendees as they laugh and joke with friends.

What remains

Matt and Karen saved what they could of the old theatre, but much was beyond their control. In addition to everything time and the elements had ruined, many of the original art deco fixtures had been removed and sold over the years. However, what they did salvage, they treasure.

“The doors are original,” said Matt, “both the front doors and the interior doors. (One of the plaster arches) in the lobby was saved, and part of (the other arch). We mimicked the pointed ceiling (in the lobby). The floor is original in the lobby, and so are the grates. The fireplace is the same, too.”

And that’s not all. What hadn’t been torn out, what hadn’t been hauled away as part of the soggy, mold-covered mess, was simply covered up by The Backline’s walls, ceiling, and floor. Remember, The Backline is the smaller of two Russian dolls. The Geitner Theatre is still very much there.

Behind the Club Room’s farthest wall lies the old screen and stage. Stepping through a door there, the floor drops four feet. It’s mainly used as a storage area for odds and ends, but there hang the old curtains. There the time-smeared walls stand, offering a few damaged plaster medallions as proof of what the theatre once was.

Plus, there’s a secret.

“Below the stage, there’s a secret room,” said Matt. “It’s an old speakeasy. It’s all polished wood. It’s beautiful.”

Rumor has it that during Prohibition, it wasn’t the films that brought in the cash; it was the bathtub gin and potato-mash vodka being brewed up in the basement. (Prohibition outlawed the sale and consumption of booze in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933 in an attempt to improve citizens’ morality. Really, though, it just pushed drinking into back rooms and the black market.)

With so much history, it’s only natural to wonder if the Geitner has any ghosts.

“Nope,” said Matt and Karen.

“If there are any hanging around, I can tell you that they’re friendly,” joked Matt. “I’ve never been uncomfortable here, and we pulled all-nighters several times when we were working on the place.”

There’s something comforting, and almost enchanting, about the fact that so much of the Geitner remains, hidden just out of sight. And, said Karen and Matt, maybe one day it won’t be so hidden.

“We’d love to make this into a fourth space someday,” said Matt, referring to the stage and screen area. “It would take a lot of work, but it would be so great to see it restored.”

New life

Now, The Backline is open every Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m. for elementary and middle school kids to come dance, hang out, and be themselves≥ There are trivia games, raffles and prizes, and often, live music. Karen, who works at the school, said it’s great to see them leave some of their schoolday anxieties or insecurities behind and relax.

“Sometimes, there’s pressure at school to act a certain expected way, or hang out with just one group of people. Here, though, they’re different,” she said of the kids. “They’re friendly. They’re open. It’s so wonderful to see that side of them.”

“We don’t really have problems with behavior,” agreed Matt. “We don’t have what others think of as ‘troublemakers.’ We respect the kids, and they respect us and they respect our place. We have a great rapport with them.”

Zak and Alex, of course, have never known a life that didn’t include The Backline. They were born in 1998 and 2000, respectively, and now they can be found behind the snack bar or working security.

“It’s cool,” said Zak. “We know all the kids, and they know us. They say hi at school. And now kids are coming in whose parents used to hang out here, so we’re seeing (the second generation).”

It doesn’t hurt ticket sales that Zak and Alex are handsome, and tall, and cool, and play in a band. But, of course, that’s just them taking after their parents.  And, do they see the Backline in their future?

“Yes,” said Alex.

“Sure,” said Zak. “… I can’t imagine not having (The Backline) be a part of our lives. Maybe it will change over the years, but yes.”

In addition to weekly Fun Nights, The Backline is open for special teen events some Saturdays, and the community is always welcome to rent out the space for reunions, graduation and birthday parties, and more. The Bogosians are also part of the Kiwanis Club, and Matt serves on the school board, so they also host annual events there such as the Halloween Parade and Costume Contest and Christmas in the Park. The Backline will also be open as part of this year’s 50th annual Festival of Grapes celebration.

This July will mark The Backline’s 20-year anniversary, and in just a few more years, the building itself will be a century old. To help celebrate, come by for a tour during this year’s Festival of Grapes, and see for yourself why this old theatre was so very deserving of being saved.

Is there an old home, commercial building, school or place of worship you’d like to see featured in Building Block? If so, email rcuthbert@observertoday.com with your suggestion!

Among other things, the roof had to be jacked up and repaired, and the floor had to be leveled.

“We wanted a dance club, so the slanted floor had to go,” said Karen. “So we had to build it up. But first we had to get the seats out, (which) were all bolted into the floor. None of the bolts would loosen up, so we had to cut through all of them.”

The Bogosians decided early on that they didn’t want to use the entire interior space. Matt explained that part of the magic of a good show is a great crowd; you can’t capture that when a space feels empty.

“We played a show once in this little bar, but about 300 people had packed into it to see us,” he said. “You can’t beat that kind of energy.”

And, because he and Karen had to figure things out as they went along, this problem, too, was solved.

“We actually put up a new building inside the old building,” said Matt. “There is a few feet between the wall you see in the Club Room and the wall of the theatre. And the old screen and stage is beyond (the back) wall. There is a good six feet from the top of the inner roof to the actual roof of the building. You can stand up in the space between.”

In this way, The Backline fits inside of the Geitner Theatre in the same manner as Russian dolls. Logistically, it makes sense.

“We have neighbors. We always wanted to be good neighbors. There are apartments next door, and other businesses. Having the building-in-a-building allows for sound insulation (as well as insulation for heating). We can have a band in here at 11 p.m., and you can’t hear a thing from the street outside.”

Karen, who has held many yoga and other fitness classes at The Backline in the Club Room, also said the building’s plan keeps outside noise out.

“You don’t want to have a yoga class, with meditation, when you can hear every noise on the street,” she said. “When there’s a yoga class in here, it’s calm and peaceful.”

The Club Room features a snack bar, a full stage, a wooden dance floor, club lights, and more. Outside of that, there’s a hangout area with couches and a foosball table, along with arcade games and rock-n-roll memorabilia. An operational toy train circles the ceiling, steaming around Fun Night attendees as they laugh and joke with friends.

What remains

Matt and Karen saved what they could of the old theatre, but much was beyond their control. In addition to everything time and the elements had ruined, many of the original art deco fixtures had been removed and sold over the years. However, what they did salvage, they treasure.

“The doors are original,” said Matt, “both the front doors and the interior doors. (One of the plaster arches) in the lobby was saved, and part of (the other arch). We mimicked the pointed ceiling (in the lobby). The floor is original in the lobby, and so are the grates. The fireplace is the same, too.”

And that’s not all. What hadn’t been torn out, what hadn’t been hauled away as part of the soggy, mold-covered mess, was simply covered up by The Backline’s walls, ceiling, and floor. Remember, The Backline is the smaller of two Russian dolls. The Geitner Theatre is still very much there.

Behind the Club Room’s farthest wall lies the old screen and stage. Stepping through a door there, the floor drops four feet. It’s mainly used as a storage area for odds and ends, but there hang the old curtains. There the time-smeared walls stand, offering a few damaged plaster medallions as proof of what the theatre once was.

Plus, there’s a secret.

“Below the stage, there’s a secret room,” said Matt. “It’s an old speakeasy. It’s all polished wood. It’s beautiful.”

Rumor has it that during Prohibition, it wasn’t the films that brought in the cash; it was the bathtub gin and potato-mash vodka being brewed up in the basement. (Prohibition outlawed the sale and consumption of booze in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933 in an attempt to improve citizens’ morality. Really, though, it just pushed drinking into back rooms and the black market.)

With so much history, it’s only natural to wonder if the Geitner has any ghosts.

“Nope,” said Matt and Karen.

“If there are any hanging around, I can tell you that they’re friendly,” joked Matt. “I’ve never been uncomfortable here, and we pulled all-nighters several times when we were working on the place.”

There’s something comforting, and almost enchanting, about the fact that so much of the Geitner remains, hidden just out of sight. And, said Karen and Matt, maybe one day it won’t be so hidden.

“We’d love to make this into a fourth space someday,” said Matt, referring to the stage and screen area. “It would take a lot of work, but it would be so great to see it restored.”

New life

Now, The Backline is open every Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m. for elementary and middle school kids to come dance, hang out, and be themselves≥ There are trivia games, raffles and prizes, and often, live music. Karen, who works at the school, said it’s great to see them leave some of their school day anxieties or insecurities behind and relax.

“Sometimes, there’s pressure at school to act a certain expected way, or hang out with just one group of people. Here, though, they’re different,” she said of the kids. “They’re friendly. They’re open. It’s so wonderful to see that side of them.”

“We don’t really have problems with behavior,” agreed Matt. “We don’t have what others think of as ‘troublemakers.’ We respect the kids, and they respect us and they respect our place. We have a great rapport with them.”

Zak and Alex, of course, have never known a life that didn’t include The Backline. They were born in 1998 and 2000, respectively, and now they can be found behind the snack bar or working security.

“It’s cool,” said Zak. “We know all the kids, and they know us. They say hi at school. And now kids are coming in whose parents used to hang out here, so we’re seeing (the second generation).”

It doesn’t hurt ticket sales that Zak and Alex are handsome, and tall, and cool, and play in a band. But, of course, that’s just them taking after their parents.  And, do they see the Backline in their future?

“Yes,” said Alex.

“Sure,” said Zak. “… I can’t imagine not having (The Backline) be a part of our lives. Maybe it will change over the years, but yes.”

In addition to weekly Fun Nights, The Backline is open for special teen events some Saturdays, and the community is always welcome to rent out the space for reunions, graduation and birthday parties, and more. The Bogosians are also part of the Kiwanis Club, and Matt serves on the school board, so they also host annual events there such as the Halloween Parade and Costume Contest and Christmas in the Park. The Backline will also be open as part of this year’s 50th annual Festival of Grapes celebration.

This July will mark The Backline’s 20-year anniversary, and in just a few more years, the building itself will be a century old. To help celebrate, come by for a tour during this year’s Festival of Grapes, and see for yourself why this old theatre was so very deserving of being saved.

Is there an old home, commercial building, school or place of worship you’d like to see featured in Building Block? If so, email rcuthbert@observertoday.com