An Interview With Bainbridge Cinemas’ Owner, Jeff Brien, who is Putting the Long-time Movie Complex Located in The Pavilion on the Selling Block

Kevin Dwyer | Posted on July 9, 2025 |

Promoting movies – or more to the point – movie theaters – is Jeff Brien’s passion. But now the 76-year-old Bainbridge Island entrepreneur wants to take a step back.

He’s decided to put the Bainbridge Cinemas – the five-screen emporium he started with pal Sam Granato nearly 20 years ago – on the selling block.

“I have made the decision to divest myself of several of our theaters including Bainbridge Cinemas,” says Brien. “With my ‘slowly’ advancing age and excellent health, my goal is to begin minimizing personal stress, especially as I’m doing all this alone, with Sam’s passing last year.”

Granato, the City of Bainbridge Island‘s first mayor and long-time island fixture and businessman, died last year at the age of 87 from congestive heart failure. He and Brien partnered up in the late 1990s and built The Pavilion shopping center in Downtown Winslow in 1997 and opened the theaters a year later, with a free screening of “The Wizard of Oz.”

“We used a local architect, a local contractor, and (later) a larger contractor from Seattle” to complete the project, at the time one of the island’s biggest non-governmental developments, Brien recalls.

Granato and Brien later teamed up to purchase other movie houses in cities such as Bremerton, Oak Harbor, Ocean Shores and Stanwood. Some of those properties have been sold over the years, or the pair’s corporation – Faraway Entertainment – has let certain leases expire.

“We never say never,” Brien says of a negotiation. “And if the right opportunity comes along, we would certainly consider a sale.”

As for the Bainbridge Cinemas , Brien says there “is no immediate timetable (for selling), and I haven’t even thought about price, but what I do know is that my strong preference is to keep the Cinemas under some form of ‘local’ ownership versus an off-Island entity.

“As you know,” he continues, “this is a unique, one-of-a-kind business that I believe is truly a part of the community fabric of Bainbridge. Since 1998 we’ve employed over 1,000 Island youth, participated in community causes, screenings, ticket giveaways and special events. I believe we offer a valuable service to Bainbridge by keeping folks local and supporting our schools, City Government, nonprofits, religious institutions, and other cultural entities. Ownership of this business comes with a lot of responsibility to our Bainbridge community, which is why it is so important to find the right buyer.”

For the time being, the potential sale of the Cinemas does not include the Historic Lynwood Theatre , “but who knows what could happen down the road,” says Brien, who is willing to train up a new owner, and perhaps create an equity partnership with them and even finance a purchase “if we find the right person who may wish to gradually and affordably take advantage of this kind of opportunity.”

Who’s the right person?

“We want someone who is local and has a solid and serious commitment to our community,” Brien emphasis. “I cannot remember a single occasion over almost 30 years when we did not instantly provide free tickets for local nonprofits, fundraising screening, promotional tie-ins, special discount programs for schools, religious organizations, the City of Bainbridge Island, politicians, etc. We have been and remain 100 percent vested in our community and are adamant on that continuing.”

Brien says his company could have listed the business with a commercial brokerage house “but that would have attracted someone off the island or another theater chain. We want all decisions made for the business to be based here, not with a corporate office on the East Coast. … We are a special business woven into the fabric of Bainbridge Island and take that very seriously,” he says. We liken ourselves to a Town & Country, Bainbridge Gardens or other unique businesses that give back to Bainbridge.”

“A new owner must recognize that and support the community (even over profit sometimes),” Brien adds. “We also almost always hire local teens, young adults and even older adults. Over the years, we have given hundreds and hundreds of teens their first job experience and it is rewarding to see them return years later with their own kids who we’ve hired as well. Our former employees are now doctors, lawyers, filmmakers, real estate professionals and so on.”

Have the Cinemas been a profitable venture?

“The Cinemas have stayed afloat with good and bad year (all) 100 percent dependent on the film product available to us,” Brien explains. Our corporate structure is designed to share marketing, operations and finance costs over all (our) theaters, which is efficient but expensive. A new owner of Bainbridge Cinemas – especially someone willing to actually work and run the business – could significantly trim many of these expenses and earn decent revenue. But, remember, our fate (always) rests with what the (movie) studios provide us.”

“Unlike a shoe story or other retail business, we have very little overhead inventory,” Brien says, “which has been significantly compromised these past few years with COVID, a producers strike, and writers and actors strikes.”

How would you characterize the movie business on Bainbridge Island?

“The movie business on Bainbridge – like everywhere – took a major hit during COVID, with an 11-month closure,” Brien recounts. “Aside from that, we have a very broad demographic on the island with a significant family audience, (plus) teens and seniors, many of whom (also) visit the Lynwood Theatre that plays to a more mature audience. … We do very well with Disney (movies) and kids fare, (as well as) superhero and action films, biographical and romantic comedies for older folks. We don’t do that well on the island with horror movies or foreign films, the latter of which mostly play at Lynwood, if at all.”

“The island always brings out a crowd for a good cause related to, say, a documentary product,” he adds. “Many are fundraisers or social action films that (again) play at the Lynwood, and occasionally at Bainbridge Cinemas.”

What’s been the biggest challenge in owning the theaters?

“It’s been operating and surviving through industry challenges like the Pandemic and occasional studio issues,” Brien says. “We also spent significant money converting from film to digital – something all theaters had to do. Thankfully the expense of that transition is behind us but down the road I’m certain there will be other technological advances to come our way.”

Any favorite memories that stand out?

“Many,” Brien recalls with a chuckle. “Harry Potter fundraisers, Rocky Horror every Halloween, job fairs for local teens, studio premieres, such as (local author) David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars, the live (New York) Metropolitan Operas, author lectures (Ed Viesturs and Rick Steves to name a few), musical performances, hosting BPA in our large auditorium during their renovation, smoking popcorn machines (that caused) false fire alarms, Taylor Swift, Star Wars and special events on screen. Every single year brings really cool programs, promotions and events!”

Are you planning to do something else with your life or is this the final curtain, as they say in showbiz?

“I still have other theaters to run, including Lynwood, our Pavilion and theaters in Stanwood, West Seattle, the U District and Anacortes,” Brien says. “I have been involved in this business starting with 10 years at Disney since the day I graduated from college, and I still love it. I have no plans to move or retire and want to focus our attention on the upcoming 90th and 100th anniversaries of the Lynwood Theater.”

Anything else you want to say about your experience?

“Passing the theater (Cinemas) along is a bittersweet event, but how great it would be with the right buyer who is committed to the industry and the community as we are,” Brien further states. “It’s a fun and challenging business. People walk in our door always in a good mood, excited about what they are about to see and love seeing films on the big screen. Wherever I go people want to ask questions or tell me about something they’ve seen. It’s a service that makes us proud to provide and one we know that a vast majority of the island appreciates.”