Rick Steves Bought His 103-Year-Old Hometown Theater for $2 Million. He Says the Real Return Isn’t Money

The travel enthusiast, founder, and philanthropist just bought a historic theater. The reason why may surprise you.

Rick Steves, the beloved travel writer, television host, and founder, just made a $2 million investment in his hometown—and saved a local family’s legacy.

Steves, a resident of Edmonds, Washington, recently bought a 103-year-old movie theater located on the town’s Main Street. 

I’ve always lived here since I

“I’ve always lived here since I was a kid, and for me, Main Street is not Main Street without our little theater on it,” Steves told Inc. 

The century-old theater had been owned by the Mayo family. Steves described its previous leader, Jaque “Jack” Mayo, as a community leader who “was very passionate about the value of the theater.”  

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Following his death in 2009, the property was left to Mayo’s children, who had managed the property before the sale. 

They knew that they wanted to keep

“They knew that they wanted to keep their dad’s legacy alive, and I was the one person who could buy that theater and was eager to keep Jack’s vision for the theater alive,” Steves told Inc. 

Steves, who is also the founder and owner of a travel business named Rick Steves’ Europe, recalled attending the theatre in his 20s; he and Mayo would sit on stage and introduce each film before it began.

Source: www.inc.com