Fashion Forward

Kathy Staab bought the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, Rhode Island in 2004, initially simply as an investment while still active in her long and successful career in fashion and retail. Over the years she had held various merchandising executive positions at Brookstone (Gardeners Eden), Talbots, Jordan Marsh and Macy’s where she developed a clear sense of current trends and customer demands. When exactly the theatre became not simply an investment but her passion is unclear but today she’s using all the skills she learned in retail to revitalize and remake one of the oldest theatres in North America. 

Staab said the challenge is to “not just show films but create experiences for our clientele. The goal is to make our events memorable and unique in their presentation, approach and/or mix of media. And we try to never take ourselves too seriously as we build events that inspire, challenge or make the experience just plain fun. Our objective is also to utilize this historic building as a tool for fundraising for a variety of non-profit causes within our community.”

SOURCE: Digital Cinema Report