Burley Theatre

2003 Photo from the Ron Pierce collection.

135 W Main St Burley ID 83318 (208) 678-5631

Information for this tour was contributed by Kacee Quintana.

The Burley Theatre is the first and oldest theatre in Burley, Idaho. It appears to be a 1930s or 40s era theatre, as it has the popular design and look of that period. It has a balcony and sloped seating on the main floor, a huge screen and a stage for live shows. Out front, a traditional three-sided marquee was capped off with a vertical neon "Burley" sign.

The Burley is owned by the Harris family and showed first run films until the Century Cinemas expansion in the mid-1990s. Shortly after the Century Cinema 5 expansion, the Harris family completely renovated the aging Burley. For safety reasons, they removed the old neon vertical sign and overhanging marquee. The theater now has a flat facade with a standard illuminated "Burley Theatre" sign and flat illuminated marquee.

The quaint little piece of small town history did not receive a skimpy remodel. Rather, the Harris family took care of the first theatre in their family. All the seats were repaired and Dolby Stereo was added, as well as a renovated lobby and snack bar area. During the renovation, the Harris family performed the modernization with care to maintaining the history and hometown flavor of the theatre.

Currently, the Burley is still a hometown favorite, showing second run family fare, such as "Harry Potter" and "Monsters, Inc." The balcony is reserved for adults to have a peaceful moviegoing experience.

July 2003 photos from the Ron Pierce collection.

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• Cinema Treasures

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Last featured 11/8/2003. Last edited 3/4/2023.