Big Picture Theater opened in Downtown Issaquah on Thursday March 3, 2022 showing the release of The Batman.

Local media has covered the opening extensively, including coverage from Patch, Seattle Times, and Issaquah Reporter.

The Seattle Times Coverage included the following: “Regulars of the Belltown theater will recognize the décor: armchairs with animal prints, ornately carved screens and sidebars, an antique tuba (it belonged to Katie’s stepmother’s brother, who brought it from England) regally watching over things from a shelf above the bar. Offerings will include not only beer, wine and movie-themed cocktails but a food menu featuring popcorn alongside burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs (Mark, who’s from Chicago, wanted his hometown represented), pizza and other casual meals.”

Northern Illinois University publication NIU Today wrote an extensive article about Mark and his history in the theatre business. A few interesting quotes from the article include:

“We had to split the customers, and business was very bad,” he said. “I knew it was only a matter of time before my ship was going to sink. I became convinced that the traditional theater model was no longer sound for non-chain theaters, but I had no idea what to do for a living. I was truly lost.”

In 1999, Stern and his wife finally made their dream a reality. Big Picture Theatre opened in Seattle, underneath a beloved area restaurant, and his big gamble paid off in spades. Over the last 22 years, the theater has become a renowned location for Seattleites. Even some of the world’s biggest companies have grown attached to the theater for meetings and showings, including the Big Five—Microsoft, Amazon, Apple Google and Facebook. In addition, celebrities like Dave Matthews, Jerry Seinfeld, Charles Barkley, and the “Dude” himself, Jeff Bridges—who held a special showing of “The Big Lebowski”—have done events at Big Picture. Entertainment Weekly even called it “a little gem nestled speak-easy style below a neighborhood steakhouse.”

“Our mantra is that hotel meeting space is boring, and there is nothing really special about going to a multiplex theater,” he said. “We decided to compete with the biggest branded hotels to steal customers away from that experience.”

To showing information and to purchase tickets, click here: