Nonprofit video store Vidiots prepares for grand reopening at renovated Eagle Theatre

Vidiots, a nonprofit organization and video store in Los Angeles, has renovated the historic Eagle Theatre to become its new home.

Vidiots Foundation has been renovating its new venue since 2021. The goal is to restore the theatre and add a video library of 50,000 titles. Megan Ellison, the founder of Annapurna Pictures and an Indiegogo campaign helped to fund Megan's video rental store in Santa Monica. The store closed in 2017 after operating for over 30 years.

Vidiots is now open every day at 4884 Eagle Rock Boulevard. In an 11,000 square foot space, Vidiots will have a state-of the-art 271 seat movie theater that shows 35mm, 16mm, and digital projection, a beer and wines bar with light meals and concessions, a micro-cinema, and a community space, as well as a video shop.

The venue is flexible and can be used for screenings, special events and workshops, as well as community gatherings. It will show a wide range of titles, including new independents and classics. In May, Vidiots will host sneak preview events for its founding members and supporters.

There will be special events, programming for all ages, and education and preservation initiatives throughout the year. These include community and programming partnerships, such as those with A Bunch of Savages and Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Other partners include IFC Films and Lionsgate.

Jeffrey Birkmeyer, his company Analog and its real estate and construction division Analog, worked as a development partner and contractor with Vidiots. David Wick and Andrew Lindley from Land Design Studio and Wick Architecture and Design were the architects and designers on this project.

Vidiots' founders Patty Polinger & Cathy Tauber said in a press release that they were "overjoyed" to see their dream come true. We could not have achieved this feat without the steadfast and loyal support of a cinema community that is truly dedicated to inspiring and enlightening new generations, and creating a place where they can fall as in love with films as we did.

Vidiots was revived by the L.A. film community. The nonprofit is still working to achieve its capital campaign goal of opening and operating at the newly renovated location. Support has come from corporate sponsors, founding members, donors and founding members such as A24 Alamo Drafthouse Criterion Collection Paramount Pictures Letterboxd, among others.

Hollywood Foreign Press Association, National Association of Theater Owners and Award-Winning Filmmaker Jason Reitman also contributed by providing support for the foundation.

Maggie Mackay, Executive Director, said, "There are no words that can express our gratitude to the community for rallying around us over the years and making our dream of reopening come true." We're counting down the seconds until the Eagle Theatre and video store can be reopened to all of L.A. In Northeast L.A. film will flourish as the inspiring, social and communal art form that it has been since over 100 years.