‘Downtown Bellingham is our home’. Pickford Film Center opens new cinema
Pickford on Grand, a new movie theatre created by the owners of Pickford Film Center, is opening its doors on Friday, Aug. 1.
“We announced our purchase of the space in the fall of 2021, so it’s been a years-long effort—from launching our capital campaign to finally opening the doors. Our goal was always to open in summer, and we’re thrilled to have made it happen,” Gray Gordon, Pickford’s marketing manager told The Bellingham Herald.
“The new theater features three brand-new screens, two of which are equipped with 4K laser projection. Our two largest houses each seat 60—the Saturna Capital Theater, made possible by Saturna Capital Investments, and The Joy Cinema, funded by Thuy and Mark Barnett. The Loober Jewelbox, a more intimate 19-seat space, was funded by Deborah Loober and Jane Burns. Our lobby, dedicated to Flo Francis by her daughter Barbara Francis, includes all the favorites from our Bay Street location: local beer and wine, real-butter popcorn, and a robust seasoning bar, plus some new treats, like ice cream,” Gordon said.
The free grand opening event took place at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 1, and included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, access to see the new theater, free popcorn, and other snacks and drinks available for purchase.
The film center’s second location is in downtown Bellingham, as the center’s team strives to keep business near their home.
“Downtown Bellingham is our home. If the Pickford is going to grow, it should grow within the community that built it. Staying downtown means remaining accessible, walkable, and rooted in the heart of the cultural life we’ve always been a part of,” Gordon said.
“We’ve known for years that Bellingham wanted more Pickford—our ticket sales and packed houses told us so. But in 2020, the pandemic forced us to close The Limelight, our third screen on Cornwall Avenue. That loss drastically limited what we could offer. With only two screens, distributor restrictions and scheduling constraints made it harder to accomplish our mission,” Gordon said. “Expanding gives us the flexibility to bring in more films, host more events, and continue supporting the indie titles we love—while also accommodating the commercial releases our audiences have been asking for.”
The expansion also allows Pickford to continue popular film festivals.
“First and foremost, we’re providing more first-run films—and the ability to play them for longer. But it also means more of what Bellingham has loved about the Pickford for over two decades: film series, festivals like Doctober and the Bellingham Children’s Film Festival, and unique special events. With increased capacity, we can also expand our educational programming for local schools and teachers. In many ways, the sky’s the limit, this expansion opens the door to everything we’ve wanted to do but didn’t have space for until now,” Gordon said.
The Pickford on Grand is at 105 Grand Ave. in downtown Bellingham, and Pickford Film Center is at 1318 Bay St. Both theatres open 30 minutes before the first posted showtime each day.
This story was originally published August 2, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
