A 'closed' sign will be appearing soon at the Park Theatre in Park Falls, Wisconsin.

Park Falls is located in north-central Wisconsin, about 78 miles north of Wausau. The Park Theatre dates back to 1950 and is currently owned by Paul and Katie Freiburger. They posted news that the theater would be closing November 30, 2025 on its social media page recently:

To Our Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that the doors of the Park Theatre will soon be closing.

When we purchased Park Theatre in 2020 our dream was to restore it and keep our beautiful theatre alive for our community. While we have enjoyed bringing entertainment to Park Falls we unfortunately can not financially keep going. In full transparency, not only has the movie industry dramatically changed over the years but rising costs of supplies, and utilities has led us to make this incredibly hard decision. With streaming services becoming more popular many people choose to watch movies at home. Movie companies set the rules on if we can get a movie, how long we have to run it and take a large percentage of the ticket sales. If we are lucky we make about $3.50 per ticket. Unfortunately, when we only have a few people attend a movie showing it doesn’t leave us enough money to cover our utilities.

Park Theatre has been standing tall and proud for 75 years!! First being run by Jim and George Esterl who opened the doors in June 1950. The theatre was then passed down to Pete and Marge Esterl. Jim and Kathy Billek purchased Park Theatre in 1996 after it was closed for a number of years and kept it running until we purchased it.

This theatre has been more than just a building. For decades, it has been a place where first dates blossomed into lifelong loves, where children saw their very first movies wide-eyed with wonder, and where families and friends gathered to laugh, cry, and dream together.

Generations of memories were made here, and it has truly been our honor to be a part of your stories.

The decision to close was not made lightly. The world has changed, and with it, the way people experience movies. While our final curtain call will be bittersweet, we are filled with gratitude for the thousands of moments and memories shared inside these walls.

We want to thank each and every one of you—our loyal patrons, dedicated staff, and the entire Park Falls community—for your love and support. Without you, the Park Theatre would not have stood the test of time for three-quarters of a century.

On Sunday November 30, 2025 the lights will dim for the last time, please know that the spirit of this theatre lives on in every laugh, every tear, and every memory made here. Though the screen may go dark, the Park Theatre will always shine brightly in our hearts—and, we hope, in yours too.

If anyone has free movie tickets please redeem them as soon as possible and enjoy our beautiful theatre while you can.

Paul and Katie Freiburger

This is just the latest reminder that downtown independent movie theaters can't be taken for granted. Without your business, they cannot survive. If you want to see your neighborhood theater in operation, please see a movie and buy concessions to support their operation!

Showtimes

Now is your chance to watch a movie at this theater and to bid the owners a fond farewell. To see what's playing and when, please visit the Showtimes page for the Park Theatre.

Afterward, moviegoers in the area will need to visit one of the other nearby theaters, including the Cinema North Theatre in Phillips.

Theater History

According to information contained in the announcement, the movie theater was opened in June 1950 by Jim and George Esterl. It was later operated by Pete and Marge Esterl. Jim and Kathy Billek purchased it in 1996 and reopened it after being closed for a time. Paul and Katie Freiburger purchased the theater in 2020.