BELFAST, Maine — When driving into Belfast, it’s hard not to miss the Colonial Theatre. If its bright green, purple, and pink exterior doesn't catch your eye, then the elephant on its roof likely will.
"I love people, and I love sharing great movies with them," Colonial Theatre co-owner Michael Hurley said.
Hurley has run the cinema alongside his wife, Therese Bagnardi, for 27 years. They've had the Colonial Theatre up for sale since 2015. This past Sunday was their last day of screening films as the couple said it's time for a change.
"It's bittersweet," Hurley told NEWS CENTER Maine. "I know I'll miss [the theatre], and I think my wife will too."
For 110 years, the Colonial Theatre has been showing films to moviegoers. It opened in 1912, the same year Titanic set sail.
"There have been highs and lows," operations manager Kyle Walton said. "We've had big audiences, big movies, big concerts, and big stand-up shows, but we've also had our struggles."
Despite challenges, Walton said his favorite part of his job has been the people who really care about the theater.
"We've had people come from down the block to as far as 50 miles away to see our movies," Walton explained. "Those are the people you pay attention to, and you really want them to be able to have a place to go and for the theatre's closure to be as short as possible."