What The Roxy Theater does

The Roxy Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community cinema operating since 1937 on South Higgins Avenue in Missoula, Montana. As of 2026 it operates four screening venues (a main three-plex with Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound and the 25-seat Roxy Annex micro-cinema with 5.1 Dolby), plus the Roxy Garden outdoor venue and the Roxy Lounge — a collective footprint that seats roughly 250 and hosts approximately 250 screenings per month. The cinema programs new releases alongside independent, foreign, documentary, and classic films, anchors four annual festivals (International Wildlife Film Festival, Montana Film Festival, QueerWest Fest, Camp Horror), and runs the Roxy Film Academy for youth education. It is owned and governed by the International Wildlife Film Festival, which purchased the property in 2001; in 2013 the organization rebranded from a weekends-only festival venue to "Missoula's Community Cinema" with year-round seven-day programming.

The underlying technology is conventional digital cinema: DCP projection, Dolby 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound, HD digital projection, and accessibility infrastructure (assistive listening, open captions, descriptive audio). Differentiated physical features include the 25-seat Roxy Annex micro-cinema (constructed during the COVID shutdown for private screenings and game parties), the Roxy Garden outdoor venue, the Roxy Lounge casual-meeting space, and triple-organic popcorn served in reusable stainless steel bowls. The membership program — launched in 2015 — offers four annual tiers (Star $45/$75 dual, Galaxy $125/$200, Cosmic $300/$500, Supernova $700/$1,000) with discounted or free admission, popcorn benefits, guest passes, and festival perks.

Revenue is generated across roughly eight streams: tiered annual memberships, individual ticket sales ($7-$10 with student/senior/military/kids pricing and $45 punch cards), venue rentals ($250-$450 per venue), on-screen advertising ($200 for 4 weeks to $1,500 for 52 weeks), sponsorship tiers ($300 single screening to $7,500 Name in Lights), concessions (organic popcorn, craft beer, wine, candy), gift certificates and memberships, and donations/grants from the Montana Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Montana Cultural Trust. Go-to-market is community-led: the venue relies on its website, social channels (@RoxyTheater406, @theroxy406), email newsletter, earned media, film festivals, and a dense web of local SMB cross-promotion deals (Big Dipper, Draught Works, Florabella, Freestone Climbing, Montgomery Distillery). The organization employs 24 year-round staff and 6-8 additional seasonal festival workers under Executive Director Sarah Ferguson.

Name

The Roxy Theater

Legal name

The Roxy Theater

Website

https://theroxytheater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Roxy Theater is a nonprofit community cinema in Missoula, Montana, operating four screening venues that host year-round new releases, independent, foreign, and classic film programming plus four annual film festivals, serving roughly 60,000-80,000 attendees and over 1,000 paying members annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art House Cinema / Independent Film Exhibition

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)

Keywords

• Art house cinema
• Independent film exhibition
• Community film festivals
• Nonprofit movie theater
• Venue rental events

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership tiers (Star, Galaxy, Cosmic, Supernova) with pricing from $45-$1000 providing discounted or free admission, popcorn benefits, guest passes, and festival perks. Monthly installment payments available at Galaxy, Cosmic, and Supernova levels.
2. Ticket Sales: Individual movie ticket sales ranging from $7-$10 per admission with discounts for students, seniors, military, and youth. Also offers 5-screening punch cards.
3. Advertising & On-Screen Ads: On-screen advertising on all four Roxy screens, pre-show slides updated weekly. Ad rates range from $200 for 4 weeks to $1,500 for 52 weeks.
4. Business Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers including single screening ($300), monthly series ($1,300), Show Stopper ($2,500), Red Carpet ($5,000), and Name in Lights ($7,500). Higher tiers include festival sponsorships and Roxy passes.
5. Venue Rentals: Five venues available for rent: Theater 2 ($450, 90 seats), Theater 3 ($350, 66 seats), Roxy Annex ($250, 25 seats), Roxy Lounge ($250, 25 people), and Roxy Garden ($300, 50 people).
6. Concessions: Triple organic popcorn, candy, soda, locally brewed craft beers, and wine. Eco-friendly concessions served in stainless steel bowls.
7. Donations & Grants: Nonprofit relies on community donations and grants from organizations including Montana Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Montana Cultural Trust to support programming.
8. Gift Certificates & Gift Memberships: Gift certificates available in any amount redeemable for tickets, concessions, merch, and memberships. Gift memberships available at all levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Roxy Theater operates a nonprofit community cinema that screens new releases, independent, foreign, and classic films across four screens with Dolby surround sound. It supplements exhibition with four annual film festivals, curated signature film series, the Roxy Film Academy educational program, venue rentals, a tiered membership program, concessions, and corporate/event rentals. The theater serves as Missoula's primary art house cinema and a community cultural hub on the Hip Strip in downtown Missoula, Montana.

Product overview

The Roxy Theater is a nonprofit community cinema in Missoula, Montana operating as a single unified venue with multiple screening spaces. The core offering is film exhibition featuring new releases, independent, foreign, and classic films across three main theaters plus the Roxy Annex micro-cinema. The theater complements its exhibition business with four annual film festivals (International Wildlife Film Festival, Montana Film Festival, QueerWest Fest, and Camp Horror), the Roxy Film Academy for education, and a tiered membership program. Additional revenue streams include venue rentals (Theaters, Annex, Lounge, and Garden), concessions (triple-organic popcorn, beer, wine), gift certificates, sponsorships, and special partnership deals with local businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Roxy Annex: A micro-cinema that seats 25 people, located at 730 S Higgins Ave, next door to the main theater. Features 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound.
• Roxy Garden
• Roxy Lounge

Products and services

• Film Screening Services Year-round cinematic programming featuring new releases, independent, foreign, and classic films across three main theaters and the Roxy Annex micro-cinema, equipped with Dolby 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. Available to individual moviegoers via online and in-person box office sales.
• Signature Series Monthly curated film series organized by director, genre, or concept, including Cinema Abroad (foreign films), Out at the Roxy (LGBTQ+ cinema), Knockout Cinema (action films), Roxy Jr. (youth programming with free admission for ages 17 and under), and Trash Vault. Targeted at film enthusiasts seeking themed, repeat-attendance programming.
• International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF) Annual 7-day film festival celebrating wildlife, nature, and habitat conservation, held every April. Founded in 1977, it is one of the four anchor festivals hosted by the Roxy Theater. Targeted at wildlife and environmental film enthusiasts.
• Montana Film Festival (MTFF) Four-day fiction film festival established in 2015, one of the few fiction film festivals in Montana. Features independent cinema with support from sponsors and the Montana Film Office. Targeted at independent filmmakers and cinema audiences.
• QueerWest Fest Film festival celebrating LGBTQ+ cinema and Pride. Part of the Roxy's annual festival lineup. Targeted at LGBTQ+ audiences and allies.
• Camp Horror Film festival celebrating trashy terror cinema, recently launched as part of the Roxy's annual programming. Targeted at horror film enthusiasts.
• Roxy Film Academy Educational program providing film education for youth, production support, and promotion of excellence in film exhibition for Montana films and filmmakers. Targeted at youth, families, and Montana-based filmmakers.
• Membership Program Annual tiered subscription membership with four levels: Star ($45 single/$75 dual), Galaxy ($125/$200), Cosmic ($300/$500), and Supernova ($700/$1000). Benefits include discounted or free admission, free triple-organic popcorn, guest passes, and festival perks. Monthly installment options available at Galaxy, Cosmic, and Supernova levels.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available in any amount, redeemable for tickets, concessions, merchandise, and memberships. Includes 16-digit gift card number and PIN for redemption.
• Gift Memberships Gift memberships available at all Star, Galaxy, Cosmic, and Supernova tiers that recipients can redeem online or at the box office. Includes PDF certificate with 16-digit gift card number and PIN.
• Venue Rentals Rental of five venues for private events, corporate gatherings, fundraisers, and parties: Theater 2 (90 seats), Theater 3 (66 seats), Roxy Annex (25 seats, micro-cinema), Roxy Lounge (25 people), and Roxy Garden (50 people outdoor). 3-hour blocks with additional hours at $100/hour.
• Sponsorship & Advertising Tiered business sponsorship packages: Single Screening ($300), Monthly Series ($1,300), Show Stopper ($2,500), Red Carpet ($5,000), and Name in Lights ($7,500). On-screen advertising on all four Roxy screens with pre-show slides updated weekly. Targeted at local and regional businesses seeking audience reach.
• Concessions On-site concession stand offering triple-organic popcorn (non-GMO, 100% organic corn, oil, and butter) served in stainless steel bowls, along with wine, locally brewed craft beers, candy, and soda.
• Accessibility Services Accessibility accommodations including open captions for select screenings, accessible seating with movable armrests, descriptive audio, and assistive listening headphones. Targeted at deaf, hard-of-hearing, and mobility-impaired patrons.
• Centerfield Cinema Outdoor theater partnership with Missoula PaddleHeads at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, providing COVID-safe outdoor film screenings at the baseball stadium. Launched in 2020 to maintain community cinema operations during the pandemic.
• Private Movie Party Rentals Private movie party rentals for small groups, developed during the COVID-19 closure. Over 450 private movie parties occurred during the shutdown. Targeted at small groups seeking private screening experiences.
• Roxy Annex Micro-Cinema 25-seat micro-cinema standalone facility at 730 S Higgins Ave, next door to the historic Roxy Theater, featuring 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Used for private screenings, video game parties, and intimate presentations.
• Roxy Garden Outdoor Venue Small outdoor film and event space featuring camp chairs with cup holders, located in the alley between 5th and 6th streets behind the main theater. Used for outdoor screenings and events.
• Roxy Lounge Casual space at 736 South Higgins Ave accommodating 25 people with a 100-inch screen, beverage station, and Roxy staff for gatherings, meetings, parties, and video game tournaments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60,000 annual attendees
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Missoula PaddleHeads / Ogren Park at Allegiance FieldminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership to create Centerfield Cinema, an outdoor theater at the baseball stadium that offered COVID-safe community entertainment. Approximately 10,000 attendees enjoyed outdoor movies during the pandemic shutdown.
• International Wildlife Film FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001IWFF, founded in 1977 by UM bear biologist Dr. Charles Chuck Jonkel, purchased the Roxy in 2001 to host their annual cinematic event. The festival promotes awareness of wildlife, nature, and habitat. The success of the Roxy has helped to reinvent IWFF, which turned 45 years old in 2022. IWFF and the Roxy continue their mission of bringing wildlife film to the community throughout the year, with the annual festival culminating every April.
• Big Dipper Ice CreamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal ice cream business offering the 'Big Dipper Sweet Screens' deal: $25 for $10 worth of ice cream and admission for two to the Roxy. Ice cream available at Higgins or Paxson locations.
• Draught Works BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery offering date night deal: two beers or seltzers and entrance for two to the Roxy Theater. Located at 915 Toole Ave, Missoula, MT.
• FlorabellaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant offering date night deal: pizza and two house wines plus entrance for two to the Roxy for $40. Available only on Mondays at Florabella, 500 Brooks St.
• Freestone ClimbingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal climbing gym offering 'Boulders & Big Screens' deal: two day passes and shoe rental plus admission for two to the Roxy for $60. Located at 1200 Shakespeare St.
• Montgomery DistilleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal distillery offering date night deal: two cocktails and two movie tickets for $30. Valid any day of the week at 129 W Front St.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreOthersFederal arts funding agency providing grants supporting the Roxy's cultural and artistic programming.
• Montana Arts CouncilcoreOthersState arts agency providing grant support for the Roxy's programming and cultural initiatives.
• Montana Cultural TrustcoreOthersAdditional support from coal tax placed into Montana's Cultural and Aesthetic Projects Trust Fund supporting the theater's operations.
• Florence Coffee CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal coffee company sponsoring the Cinema Abroad series, presenting classic and contemporary foreign films.
• Cool Earth CreameryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal creamery sponsoring the 'Out at the Roxy' LGBTQ+ film series celebrating Pride.
• Missoula Centennial RotaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Rotary club presenting the Roxy Jr. film series for youth, sponsoring free admission for youth 17 and under and a concessions special.
• Missoula Taekwondo Center and Clark Fork RealtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses sponsoring the Knockout Cinema series celebrating great action filmmaking.
• Frame of MindminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsoring the Trash Vault series, described as a love letter to the Criterion Collection dumpster.
• Julie Gardner PropertiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal real estate sponsor for special film screenings such as Stop Making Sense.
• Missoula Aging ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal organization sponsoring the Montana Film Festival monthly programming.
• Criterion Channel / Art-House AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, the Criterion Channel visited The Roxy for the Art-House America series, featuring the theater's programming and community cinema model.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IFC Center: Independent art-house cinema in NYC's Greenwich Village operating multiple screens with curated independent, foreign, and documentary programming — directly comparable independent cinema operator with similar programming breadth.
• The Music Box Theatre: Family-owned art-house theater in Chicago operating since 1929 with repertory and independent film programming plus a secondary micro-cinema — directly comparable historic independent cinema with multi-format venue structure.
• The Belcourt Theatre: Nonprofit art-house cinema in Nashville, TN offering multi-screen independent and repertory programming with film festivals and community education — directly comparable mission-driven operation with overlapping programming depth.
• The Brattle Theatre: Nonprofit single-screen art-house cinema in Cambridge, MA specializing in repertory, foreign, and independent cinema with curated Signature Series programming — closely aligned art-house model with similar festival/series programming emphasis.
• Metrograph: Independent art-house cinema in NYC operating multiple screens with curated film series, festival partnerships, and a restaurant/bar — directly comparable independent/arthouse exhibition model with programming-led differentiation.
• Coolidge Corner Theatre: Nonprofit art-house cinema in Brookline, MA operating multiple screens with curated independent, foreign, and repertory programming plus film festivals and educational programming — directly comparable nonprofit community cinema model with similar revenue mix of memberships, tickets, and rentals.
• AFI Silver: Nonprofit three-screen art-house cinema in Silver Spring, MD affiliated with the American Film Institute — directly comparable nonprofit multi-screen art-house cinema with festival programming and educational mission.

Broad incumbents

• Landmark Theatres: Largest U.S. art-house cinema chain operating independent and repertory film theaters nationwide with special events and festivals — broader incumbent competing directly in the art-house exhibition segment at greater scale.
• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: National dine-in cinema circuit with curated programming and repertory/independent film series at scale — broader incumbent that competes for art-house audiences through specialized formats and curated programming.

Regional players

• The Egyptian Theatre (Boise): Historic nonprofit art-house theater in Boise, ID operated by the Boise Film Collection — comparable regional small-market nonprofit art-house cinema with multi-screen facilities and educational programming, analogous to the Roxy's position in the Mountain West.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RoxyTheater406
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheRoxyTheater
• Instagraminstagram.com/theroxy406
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-roxy-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Roxy Theater