ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Tucked away on the east side, there’s a theater offering an elevated experience for theatergoers.
Forget the classic buttered popcorn and soda; Big Picture offers truffle butter and prosecco, burgers, and beer.
Big Picture, located in downtown Issaquah, is operated by Mike Stern, a third-generation movie theater owner, and his wife, Katie.
“My family opened their first movie theater in 1927 and their first talkie theater with sound in 1931,” he told KIRO 7.
Stern grew up in Illinois, working at his family’s theater. After earning a media studies degree, he ran three of his father’s theaters. But he wanted to create something different—a new experience.
“The one idea that kept coming back to my wife and me is cocktails and the other thing is all these other theaters kept getting bigger building more and more screens and so we felt there would be a big audience for a more intimate experience,” Stern said.
In 1996, he applied for a liquor license for his theater in Wilmette—but was turned down.
“We didn’t get the license in Wilmette to do our vision,” Stern said, “but we moved here to Seattle, 2,000 miles away, and Seattle gave us the license.”
The Sterns became the first to open a theater on the West Coast that served cocktails.
When their lease in Seattle ended, they moved to Issaquah and have been there ever since.
“It’s an alternative way to watch a movie and our customers love the experience,” he said.
How does the experience work?
Customers purchase their tickets in advance online.
There is a single theater and seats are pre-assigned.
Arrive 30 minutes before the show to check in and set up food and drink delivery.
Movies are typically changed monthly.
To buy tickets, click here.
To view the kitchen menu, click here.
To view the cocktail menu, click here.