Aiyana Wallace loves the movies.
Happy coincidence that Aiyana also married Eric Wallace, part of three generations of the Wallace family in Vanderhoof that has owned the century-old Grand Reo Theatre since 1999.
The building carries a lot of history and is more than 100 years old, established in 1921 - or 1922 - depending on where you get your information.
The upkeep of the building, the day-to-day operations, and getting those new releases playing at the 175-seat theatre is a labour of love, Aiyana said.
Aiyana is the front-of-house greeter as people come through the old-fashioned doors of the Grand Reo.
You know she’s the right person for the job when her entire face lights up when she talks about the best moments at the theatre for her. They’re all about the people who come inside to experience the adventure, the thrill, the romance, the heart break and the triumph found in the movies.
Aiyana speaks with reverence about one little girl who came into the theatre.
“The year before we got shut down for Covid we were showing Frozen 2 and we had a little girl come in and she was kind of nervous and she was trying to order from the concession,” Aiyana recalled.
“So I bent down to chat and she said it was her first time at the movies and that moment was priceless. And I got to be part of that.”
Aiyana said she’s always impressed when people return to the theatre to enjoy a sequel – even if it’s been decades between movies.
“When Top Gun Maverick came out (2022) we had people who told us they came here to see the original Top Gun (1986) – and some of them didn’t even live here anymore,” Aiyana said. “I love being part of that.”
Those are memories of the old theatre she knows people have cherished throughout their lives.
The nostalgia and the continuity is something very special that the Grand Reo Theatre has to offer.
The most impactful change, Aiyana said, was when the family added the balcony to the theatre.
“I think that’s the kids’ favourite part when they come here,” Aiyana said.
“Whenever we’re able to get new releases on their release date we do quite well because people would rather come here than drive that hour to get to Prince George,” Aiyana said.
People come in from Fraser Lake, Fort Fraser, Fort St. James and Stellako – and residents at Cluculz Lake will attend as well, Aiyana added.
But there have been challenging times. During the pandemic, the theatre offered popcorn takeout two days a week to keep things going.
“People supported us because they wanted us to be here when things opened up again,” Aiyana said. “And it was awesome and because people came to support us and we’re still here.”
The outside of the building needs a refresh that’s part of the upkeep of a 100-year-old building, Aiyana added.
“It’s important to Harley (patriarch of the family) and Bryan to keep the historical look of the building,” Aiyana said. “Bryan does a lot of research to find old photos and a lot of love goes back into the theatre. All the family members volunteer their time and even members of the community come to volunteer to help us. Every little bit counts.”
Despite the many challenges facing an aging building in a small town, there’s one thing that’s very clear.
We’re still standing,” Aiyana said. “We’re still strong.”
