SUBSCRIBE NOW

Enjoy all your local news and sports for less than 6¢ per day.

Subscribe Now

FROM STAFF REPORTS

BERTRAM — An online fundraising project for the Globe Theatre now has the owners aiming to open the 78-year-old venue to a new generation of visitors by the end of the year.Owners Zach Hamilton and Lance Regier have been working on restoring the theater themselves for about four year but started a Kickstarter campaign to raise $25,000 for refurbished, vintage-style seats.

On the final day of the campaign — June 14 — 125 backers passed the goal and pledged a total of $26,246.

“We are amazed by the support we’ve had from family, friends and the community,” Regier said.

Hamilton wrote an update after the Globe’s Kickstarter campaign reached its goal and thanked everyone for their generosity during the project.

“Without your help, it would have been another year before we crossed this threshold,” Hamilton wrote.

Regier said, with the goal reached, plans are being made for the final stages of work to the theater before it opens.

“It will take about two months for the seats to be refurbished by the seat company and prepared for shipping,” he said.

They plan for the seats to be delivered in October or November and to install the seats as the last part of the restoration.

“Our goal is to reopen before the end of this year,” Regier said.

Even with the success of the Kickstarter campaign, Regier said requests are still coming in from people wanting to donate to have a name plate placed on a seat.

“There are plenty of seats left for those who still want to donate. We will honor the same rewards that are on Kickstarter,” Regier said.

To contact Hamilton and Regier, email them at globetheatretx@hotmail.com.

editor@thepicayune.com