Hyart Theatre closed for carpet replacement

The historic Hyart Theatre in downtown Lovell remains closed this week as new carpet is installed in the lobby and main theater seating area.

Carpet in the lobby had been removed following the water line break on Christmas Eve, 2022, which flooded the lobby, but carpet in the theater itself was removed last week so that all of the carpet will match, theater manager Linda Mangus said. The carpet project has been in the hands of an insurance company in the process of completing a claim amid efforts to find carpet while working with the insurance company, she said.

In the weeks and month after the incident, the asbestos ceiling was removed and replaced, pipes were fixed, painting was completed inside and on the iconic outdoor sign and damaged equipment replaced.

“We still have side sound curtains that need to be done,” she said. And the neon style Hyart sign, which would now likely be LED lighting, remains to be repaired from the hailstorm six years ago.

The carpet has been stored in Ben Snyder’s workshop, and Mangus expressed appreciation to all of the community volunteers and the Hyart staff for their work during the carpet replacement and other projects.

She said preparation work for the carpet was done early this week, and the process to cut and lay the new carpet should commence next week. The target date for the first movie after the installation is November 22-23 with the showing of “Help,” though the theater will first be used for a Lovell Dance Academy recital on Thursday, Nov. 21.

On Thanksgiving weekend, November 29-30, the Hyart will show “Moana 2” on the movie’s opening weekend, Mangus said.