🔒Freeport’s movie theater — vacant since 2020 — to reopen this spring

For the first time since 2020, downtown Freeport will have a movie theater. The long-vacant former Nordica theater space, located in Freeport Village Station, has been leased to the owner of Patriot Cinemas, who owns the Nickelodeon Cinema in Portland. With seven screens and an overall footprint of 14,000 square feet, the theater opened in 2011 as an anchor to the 122,121-square-foot Freeport Village Station shopping center. The two-story outdoor mall spans 3.6 acres between Main and Depot streets in downtown Freeport, just down the hill from the L.L.Bean flagship store. Patriot Cinemas is a family-owned business based in Hingham, Mass., where it owns two movie theaters. Owner David Scott told Mainebiz in an email Monday that he hopes to open Patriot Cinemas at Freeport Village by mid-May. Scott said he plans to show, “first-run films plus the occasional concert film,” and will add beer and wine to the concession stand offerings “eventually." "We are focusing on getting open first," he said. Freeport Village Station is owned by Freeport Village Capital LLC and is managed by Boston-based Wilder Cos.

How the deal came together

Tawni Whitney, director of business development at Freeport Development Corp., said the leasing effort has been a long process.

“Our businesses and residents have wanted to see the theater back open. We need people downtown in the evening," she said. "The question I get most often is, ‘When is the movie theater going to reopen?’” Whitney contacted Patriot nearly a year ago and said Scott was immediately interested, they said. He and his wife came to see the theater shortly thereafter. Roger Diffin from L.L. Bean met Scott with a Boat-and-Tote featuring the monogram, “Let’s go to the movies!” “I wanted them to feel the approachability of our business community, and to feel how important this is for the community. Reopening this theater will be a huge boost for Freeport," Whitney said.

“It’s a bit of a risk to open a theater,” Whitney added. “Who knows if our behavior is going to change to go to theaters again. But David is very passionate about theaters and Wilder made the deal happen.” Scott concurred opening a movie theater when so many people have become accustomed to streaming movies at home might be a challenge. “Yes, it is risky,” he said. “But I think there’s a good opportunity in Freeport.” Scott declined to share the lease rate or term, but said, “My hope and plan is to be there for the long-term.”

Downtown ameneties

Whitney gave Mainebiz a tour of the empty theater in mid-March. It appears to be in pristine condition; it looks like it closed yesterday. The familiar scent of movie-theater popcorn no longer greets visitors, but it will again soon. "The return of the theater represents more than just entertainment,” said Whitney. “It serves as a key investment in Freeport’s economic vitality and year-round vibrancy. “This isn’t just about bringing movies back,” she added. “It’s about creating an experience, a place where people come together, and a reason to stay in Freeport a little longer.” Freeport Village Station is located behind Main Street, across from L.L. Bean’s flagship store, and is home to retailers including Old Navy, Brooks Brothers, Ben & Jerry's, Oakley and a Bean outlet, among others. There’s also an attached 520-space free parking garage. The mall is also next door to two large open parking lots between Main and Depot streets, portions of which are being developed into two separate housing complexes that will bring a total of 96 new condominiums and apartments to downtown Freeport over the next two years. “How exciting for those residents,” Whitney said, “ to have a movie theater within walking distance.” The developments are expected to break ground this spring.