7th Street Theatre Interior Restoration

Opened in 1928 in downtown Hoquiam, Washington, the 7th Street Theatre was developed by the Hoquiam Amusement Company. The theater was conceived as an atmospheric venue in the tradition of John Eberson, where immersive design and decorative painting heightened the audience experience.

Like many theaters of its time, it closed in 1957 as television reshaped entertainment habits. After changing hands in the 1970s, meaningful preservation efforts took hold in 1986 when the Grays Harbor Community Concert Association acquired the property and established the Friends of the 7th Street Theatre. Their advocacy led to the building’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and spurred ongoing restoration campaigns beginning in the 1990s.

In 2009, EverGreene was engaged by the 7th Street Theatre Association to undertake a comprehensive finishes investigation, including microscopic paint analysis and a condition survey of the theater’s interior. This work established a baseline for renovation by identifying original color schemes, documenting decorative motifs, and assessing the condition of flat and ornamental plaster.

Building on these findings, EverGreene carried out conservation and restoration across key areas of the theater, including the auditorium, main lobby, fountain lobby, exterior ticket booth, and portions of the façade. The scope encompassed plaster consolidation, repair, and selective replacement; surface cleaning; conservation of decorative elements; targeted repainting; wood restoration; and re-grouting—restoring both the visual richness and material stability of the historic fabric.