Art Beat Q & A: ‘Main Street Memories,’ a film about Edmonds Theater and Edmonds Bakery

Saturday Aug. 16-17, 1:30 p.m. (premiere); Sunday Aug. 19-21, 4:45 p.m.
Edmonds Theater, 414 Main St. Get your tickets here.

Main Street Memories, a new documentary directed and written by Brandon Tiehen and produced by Emerald Jade, is a portrait of community, change and resilience. The 40-minute film highlights the enduring legacy of two iconic establishments: the Edmonds Theater and the Edmonds Bakery – both have stood the test of time for over a century. 

This film brings history to life through historical footage and personal stories, from the theater’s original days to one of Washington’s last remaining independent, single-screen movie houses.

For Tiehen, who grew up in Edmonds, this story is close to his heart. “Being able to make and share this documentary is an honor,” he said. 

In an interview with My Edmonds News, Tiehen talked about the surprising discoveries he made during the filming process, the historic connection between the theater and the bakery, and what it might take to ensure these Edmonds icons remain part of the community’s future. 

He also shared how his own family is continuing the tradition, bringing their 6-month-old along to the bakery – and in the future – to movie outings like generations did before them.

~~~~

Nahline Gouin (NG): Can you tell us about your personal connection to the Edmonds Theater and the Edmonds Bakery, and how it helped shape your vision for the film?

Brandon Tiehen (BT): I grew up in Edmonds. I was raised here for most of my childhood from kindergarten through high school. My dad grew up in Edmonds as well, and my grandfather was connected to the community because for many years he was the accountant for a lot of local businesses, including the Edmonds Theatre.

We’d go to Robin Hood Lanes back when it was still around, and we’d see movies at the Edmonds Theater. I remember seeing The Incredibles and Cars there when they first came out. That was like 20 years ago. If there was a kids’ movie playing, we were probably there.

After the movies, we’d often stop by the bakery with my grandparents or my mom on our way down to the beach, or in the mornings before school just to get a donut. My dad always had a maple bar, so I always had one, too. My brother always had an apple fritter because that was my mom’s favorite. It became this nostalgic memory when I moved out of town, and it was no longer readily available. I missed it.

And because I was thinking that I needed a new [film] project. I remembered that I loved going to the theater and bakery when I was growing up and thought about how I’d like to do something centered around its history with a little bit of my own personal history. A couple of filmmakers I really admire have always said, “Make the film you want to see.” I always wanted to know the history of the theater and bakery, and so that’s what I did.

NG: Can you share more about the history of the theater, and how the names changed? Was it called the Princess?

BT: The theater originally opened under the name of the Union Theater in 1916. Then it was changed to the Princess Theatre. Then there was a fire. The original theater, before it moved across the street, was actually located where the bakery is now. It burned down in the 1920s, and after that, they built the bakery right on top of it. So if you think about it, the bakery is kind of sitting on the ashes of the old theater.

They rebuilt the theater across the street, and that’s the version we have today. If you go to the Edmonds Historical Museum’s website, you can actually find a lot of old photos of it being built. There’s one taken from above where you can see people working and a little bit of Main Street in the background. I think that’s really cool.

When they rebuilt it, they saw it as an opportunity to modernize. They had already been thinking about upgrades, and this gave them the chance.

Okay, quick film history tangent: At that point in time, everything was still silent films. Movies had been around since the 1890s, but in the early 1900s, silent films really took off. In the early 1920s, you had Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith doing big things in film.

Back then, theaters didn’t have sound, so they’d have a live pianist or even a small orchestra playing along with the movie. Then around 1923 to 1927, sound films, or “talkies,” started to gradually come out, but it was still the early days. There were only a few [talkies] available.

So, they decided that when they rebuilt the theater in 1923, they’d make it a sound movie theater, which helped put Edmonds on the map. Suddenly, they could show these big-name movies with sound, and from there, it just took off.

NG: The film explores almost a century of change in Edmonds. How did you approach capturing that evolution visually and through historical footage, interviews and storytelling? Tell us a little bit about your process.

BT: I love watching [films]. To start, I need to see something that really helps me understand what I’m going for visually. So I’ll go watch around 20 films or so – some I’ve seen before and some I haven’t,  just to remind myself, “Ok, this is the structure. This is how you tell a story through these kinds of visuals.”

Even though I’ve done it before, I think it’s always good to revisit the fundamentals. You know, professional fighters don’t get in the ring without practicing their basic punches. You know what I mean? It’s important to refresh your foundation, to understand what style you like, and where your inspirations come from. That way, you walk in with a more unified vision.

As for how I approach historical footage,  I’ve always loved archival stuff. I grew up watching the History Channel, Discovery, things like that. So for me, archival footage is exciting. I love playing with it. If I can find old material, I’m all about it.

Back in 2006, I was that kid watching movies from the 1920s because I thought it was so cool. I wanted to see what film looked like in the beginning, how it all started. I think that gives me a bit of a unique perspective because not a lot of people were actively seeking that out.

To actually get that footage, I just asked for it. I reached out and said, “Hey, I’m working on a project. Would you be open to helping me out?” And if they said no, they said no. That’s fine. But if they said yes, then I used it under their terms.

The [Edmonds Historical] museum was super generous. Arnie [Arnold Lund] over there was like, “Hey, you can use what you need” He said, “Just make sure the museum gets credit and put it on the screen.” So, I have tons of pictures from the museum. Arnie makes an appearance in the film and speaks on quite a few things.

As for editing, I always cut the trailer first because it forces me to watch the footage, study it and start getting ideas – a short form of what I want to do.

It helps me form a short story in 30 seconds. Then I can expand that to 60 seconds, then 14 minutes and then 42 minutes. Starting small like that gives me something to build from without necessarily having to start on a blank canvas.

NG: Were there any surprising discoveries?

BT: Yes, this actually isn’t in the film, but during one of the interviews – I’ll probably end up releasing it as a featurette at some point – there was a part where Ana [Becker, Edmonds Theater Cinema Lead], mentioned something really interesting. She said that the theater, the bakery and a lot of businesses downtown are connected by underground tunnels, kind of like in Seattle. And I was like, “What?”

Later, I went down behind the screen with Stephanie [Mayo], the [Edmonds Theater] owner, and she was nice to let us back there. It was all dirt and gravel behind the screen with old wood and even this old boiler they don’t use anymore.

Someone told me there’s actually a way to get down there, that a bunch of these places are still connected underground. I don’t remember exactly how to access it, but apparently there’s a sealed-off door in the basement of the theater. A lot of it is covered in concrete now, but in the Prohibition era, these tunnels were used to connect businesses.

I thought that was super cool,  just the idea that there are old underground tunnels beneath the city. That’s something I might dive deeper into for another project.

Another surprising story – one that is in the film, so I won’t say too much about it – is how the cookie jars became a thing at the bakery. There are hundreds of them there now. What I love is that the whole thing came about so organically. I can’t wait for people to hear that story.

NG: Does the bakery look the same today? Does it offer some of the same baked goods?

BT: Yeah, it’s funny, the taste is still the same. The cookies cycle through because they put different designs on them, but they’ve always had the same classic donuts. 

Everything you expect is still there. What’s really cool is that the layout hasn’t changed either. I can look up and point to the same spots I remember from 20 years ago. It’s crazy how much the bakery has stayed the same. The only noticeable updates are a few design touches and some minor interior changes, but overall, it’s still pretty much the same. 

There will be old photos in the documentary, and if you look up the Edmonds Bakery history online, you’ll find photos from back in the day. One of them even shows Ken [Bellingham, owner of Edmonds Bakery], who’s featured in the documentary, putting up the cookie jars. You can spot the old red bakery sign that used to hang outside too.

NG: Your film is called Main Street Memories. What’s one memory or feeling you hope viewers walk away with?

BT: Nostalgia and memories, for sure. But also resilience. These places have stood the test of time, and they’re still here. I hope people walk away feeling inspired because that is where it came from, remembering our own stories connected to these places.

NG: The Edmonds Theater is one of the last remaining independent single-screen movie houses in Washington. In your view, what will it take for it to keep thriving?


BT: Loyalty. That’s the biggest thing.

People need to keep showing up: Going to the movies, buying popcorn. What a lot of people don’t realize is that theaters make very little on ticket sales because the studios take a big percentage. That’s why concessions at big theaters tend to be expensive.

So if you want to keep this place, show some love and keep showing up. If we keep showing up, they’ll be here [for us and our future generations]. 

NG: I can’t believe they’ve been here that long. I mean, Edmonds was founded in 1890 and just around 30 years later, the bakery and theater were already here, and they’ve been part of Edmonds ever since.

BT: It’s amazing. I think the bakery is turning 102 and the theater is turning 102 [in its second location].

~~~~

Tiehen made sure to shine a light on his producing partner, Emerald Jade. Though she was in California celebrating her birthday at the time, her presence in the project was undeniable. Tiehen admitted that while he’s full of big ideas, it was Jade who brought the structure. She kept the production organized and on track, and at one point, even took over an entire shoot. 

“The film wouldn’t have been finished on time without her,” he said.

He also acknowledged his wife, Associate Producer Lizzy Tiehen, for her support throughout the whole process, and Paco Hernandez, who served as key grip, helping bring the technical side of the production to life.

Main Street Memories will premiere at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17; and at 4:45 p.m. Aug. 19-21
at Edmonds Theater, 414 Main St.

Get your tickets here.

For more information visit Thespian Studios, follow on Facebook, on Instagram and YouTube. Online Viewing to be announced soon at @splitpalmpictures and Thespian Studios.