OAK HARBOR: New owners of cinema aim to build community

Luisa Loi reports from the Oak Harbor Cinema for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.

Oak Harbor Cinemas will continue to be a part of many childhood memories under two new owners.

Bryan and Carrie Stucky announced they are taking over ownership of the movie theater with a Facebook post on April 2 — a day after finalizing the purchase, they said, to dispel any suspicions of pulling an April Fool’s prank on the community.

Bryan, who is a member of the Oak Harbor City Council and the owner of Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home, said he looks forward to doing something fun, as funerals and politics tend to be serious matters. Carrie is also involved in local politics, serving on the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and the Island County Accessible Community Committee.

They Said It

The Stuckys said the business will continue to operate as a movie theater and keep its current staff, though there will be some enhancements and additions, like more sensory-friendly showings (about once a month), more concession options, private event packages, video games on the big screen and more.

Playing Super Mario Kart on the big screen, bringing musical enthusiasts for sing-along showings and encouraging costumes and cosplays are some ideas that could reignite the waning love for movie theaters and foster community building in a way that streaming platforms can’t do, the Stuckys said.

Bryan, who likes to play video games in his free time, said he had already been upgrading his televisions to larger screens. Now, with a movie theater, “you can’t get much bigger than that,” he laughed.

“It would be great to bring back hotdogs/pretzels and perhaps some frozen snacks,” Bryan wrote in an email. “We are a little limited not having a commercial kitchen, but if the community is looking for something particular, I’d be glad to look into (it).”

When Oak Harbor Cinemas was announced to be on sale a year ago, the couple casually entertained the idea of buying it, taking it more seriously at the beginning of 2025. Before that, Bryan had been considering bringing something new to the city, almost opening a three-in-one Jamba Juice, Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon, but had to abandon the idea as he could not find the right location, he said.

Saddened by the idea of seeing the theater close or be sold to an off-island investor, the Stuckys finally decided to step in this winter.

“I was like, ‘You know, as much as I’d like to bring something here, preserving what we have is just as important as bringing something new,’” Bryan said.

Until now, Bryan’s perspective on the matter has been that of a council member. Now that he owns a business right next to SPiN Cafe, he will see it through a new lens. However, it’s still early to tell how he will be affected, he said. Regardless, he plans to discuss any concerns with the owners of SPiN directly, while adding more cameras outside and working to make sure the theater’s portion of the parking lot is safe.

Moving forward, if the council has to make a vote affecting SPiN Cafe, he will have to abstain, but can provide his input as a neighboring business owner.

“People are so kind here,” Bryan said. “Hopefully this gives us one more avenue to support the community that we love.”

On the Ballot in 2025