Missoula’s Historic Wilma Theatre Sold

Nick Checota, current owner of the Top Hat, has officially purchased Missoula's historic Wilma Theatre.

The Wilma is our 'home away from home' as most of our Blaze shows are there, so this is big news. Nick says they will run the venue "as is" for now, but will close for renovations in late June or early July.

It is our sincere hope that this is positive news, and will only help accommodate more metal, rock and alt shows for Missoula.

And what does this mean for the Knitting Factory? We will keep you posted.

According to the Top Hat's website:

Top Hat owners, Nick and Robin Checota, have purchased the historic Wilma Theater from current owner Simba Development, LLC. The transaction closed Monday.

 

Nick and Robin Checota will be taking stewardship of an architectural landmark and a cultural cornerstone of the Missoula community. According to Nick Checota, they will operate the theater “as is” until late June or early July, at which time they will close the Wilma for a period of time to perform renovations and upgrades. “There’s an incredible feel to theaters of that era that you just can’t experience in most music venues. So, while we’re planning a number of improvements, we will not be altering the feel and character of the Wilma.”

 

According to Rick Wishcamper, president of Simba Development, Checota’s vision for the theater was a significant factor in Simba’s decision to sell. “With the Wilma, you’re more of a caretaker than an owner,” he says. “It’s a community asset, and Nick understands that.”

 

It is Checota’s intention to preserve the historic aspects of the theater while significantly upgrading the sound system, restoring the interior and expanding attendance capacity to roughly 1,500. He’s hoping to make the Wilma a premier destination venue for touring artists, rather than a stopover. “We intend to create a world-class experience for concert goers and bands alike.”

 

“After operating the Top Hat for the past two years, it has become obvious to us that Missoula has very passionate and sophisticated music fans. We want to create an experience that does justice to those fans.”

 

The experience Checota has realized while serving as the entertainment buyer for the Top Hat will make the transition to a bigger venue a natural one. According to Checota, Missoula will see a much greater variety and higher caliber of acts on a more regular basis. “We intend to coordinate shows between the two venues,” he says. “The Top Hat will host local and regional bands as well as national touring acts that are appropriate for a 600 capacity room. The Wilma will be the destination for larger, more established national and international bands.”

 

Checota notes that the Top Hat has created strong partnerships with Missoula cultural institutions such as the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, the Zootown Arts Community Center and the Missoula Symphony, and expects the acquisition of the Wilma to grow relationships such as those. “We’re a completely Missoula-focused business,” says Checota, “and we think a restored, modernized Wilma could be a game-changer for this community.”