Welcome to my Home Theater!

August 2009
I recently completed two more theater projects:

1) I added a 1947 Stoner Theater Model Candy Machine to the lobby. I had to rewire the light, replace the broken mirror and wax and buff it, but other than that, the candy machine is completely original. I thought about having it painted by a body shop but decided to leave it as is. I filled the candy preview windows with vintage 5 cent candy boxes (and one 10 cent Hershey's Kisses box) from the 1950s.

2) I also completed six fabric wall panels and installed them around the wall sconces in the theater. I had been looking for the right fabric for these panels for several years and finally found the vintage wine-colored tone-on-tone Victorian pattern I wanted. These wall panels complete the vintage movie-palace look I envisioned when I first designed the theater in 2002. Click here: After Photos to see new photographs of the theater.

September 2007
My home theater recently won a "Greatest Home Theater" contest sponsored by the Home Theater Market website (www.HTmarket.com). My theater was voted #1 out of 53 home theater entries!

                                 August 2007
Although my basic theater is complete, it continues to be a "work in progress." I recently installed curtains on two of the lobby doors and four 1930s crystal wall sconces on the lobby walls. I also added a vintage 1950s popcorn dispenser, more vintage brass stanchions with red velvet ropes and several more original 1950s SciFi and Horror movie posters. Click here: After Photos to see new photographs of the theater.

                                 October 2006
HGTV (Home and Garden Television) featured the Kern Theatre on its program "Offbeat America." A film crew was here for 8 hours and shot 240 minutes of video, which was edited into a 5-minute segment for the show! Our episode, "HOBA-406 - Blue Pad and More," aired on October 7th and it does repeat on the HGTV channel from time to time.

                                  March 2006
My home theater was featured in the Audio Video Interiors section of the January 2006 issue of Home Theater Magazine. Click here: Home Theater Mag to see the article on their website.

July 2005
My basic theater is complete, although it will continue to be a "work in progress." I'm always looking for vintage theater items to add to my collection, and I have several ideas for new projects

Introduction - January 2004

In 2002, I decided to build a home theater and style it after those magnificent theaters I remembered as a child. I grew up in Winchester, Virginia, a small town with two theaters. The Palace Theater was two blocks from my home and the Capitol Theater was four. Some of my fondest memories of childhood are those Saturday morning shows, which usually consisted of two Sci-Fi, Horror or Western feature films, one or more cartoons, a cliff-hanger serial chapter, a newsreel, a short subject, and previews of coming attractions... all for a quarter!

Between the ages of 8 and 14, I went to movie theaters as often as I possibly could. In these magical places I could be transported to the jungles of Africa, the plains of the wild west, the bowels of the earth, or the far reaches of outer space without ever leaving my seat! My favorite movies usually involved crash-landings on uncharted South Seas islands, dinosaurs, erupting volcanoes, scantily clad women (even at that age!); or giant bugs, prehistoric creatures, alien invaders, or anything else gone mad and trying to destroy mankind and take over the earth.

I invite you to join me in my theater where I have attempted to recreate the nostalgia and charm of those fabulous movie palaces of the 1950's.

Tom Kern

The KERN Theatre Gala Opening ~ Air Conditioned For Your Comfort ~ Box Office Opens 9:30 AM ~ Show Starts 10:00 AM ~ All Children Must Have Tickets ~ Continuous Showing All Day ~ Feature Presentation and Selected Short Subjects ~ Don't Forget To Visit Our Concession Stand