In Just Nine Days, Portlanders Donate $250,000 to Save Iconic Movie Madness Video Store From Closing

Movie Madness will not close—and now the Hollywood Theater wants to build a screening room.

(Thomas Teal)
By Sophia June

When one pillar of Portland's film scene was in danger of closing, another stepped in to save it.

After Movie Madness owner Mike Clark, who has run the video rental store on Belmont Street for the last 26 years, announced he was retiring, he offered to sell his store to the Hollywood Theatre.

Related: We Spoke To Owners of Portland Area Video Stores About How and Why They're Keeping Afloat In The Age of Streaming

As reported by the Portland Mercury, the Hollywood Theatre launched a Kickstarter on October 11 to raise $250,000 before November 10 to buy the store. Now, just six days after the campaign was posted, the theater has exceeded the goal, with the help of more than 3,200 donors.

The theater posted on the Kickstarter that they are now stretching the goal to $350,000 to build a screening room.

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