THE PORCUPINE THEATER

“In a world increasingly dominated by smartphones and streaming services, the movie theater stands as a sanctuary for creativity, community, and genuine human connection.” -ChatGPT

We just bought the theater, because we are the right kind of crazy for the job.

We're calling it The Porcupine

Our goal is to preserve this local institution while adapting it to the changing entertainment landscape. We’re revitalizing the space with a fresh focus on repertory and second-run cinema, allowing us to offer a diverse selection of films—from Saturday morning cartoons to late-night horror flicks. The Porcupine will continue to be a community gathering place where you can enjoy classic films, indie breakouts, rom-coms, and action/adventure movies on the big screen, all while surrounded by friends, family, and the best popcorn in Alaska.

kickstarter

We’re committed to ensuring our community has a movie theater that not only survives but thrives for the next 50 years.

To make this a reality, we have big plans to revitalize the space into an inviting, multipurpose community venue. While The Porcupine will remain primarily a movie theater, we will also host live performances, offer dining options, and provide a renovated space for arts and entertainment events, including live music, theater, comedy, and dance.

Our in-house programming will be designed to maximize the potential for renting the space to local businesses, non-profits, and individuals, making it the perfect venue for community and private events. This is a space for all of us.

The first step is to undertake some major renovations and give the theater the TLC it deserves, and this will take some time. It’s been a long journey to reach this point, but now the real work begins.

We’re excited about what’s to come and hope you’ll follow along on the socials, sign up for our newsletter, and join us in December for the grand re-opening. It’s going to be awesome!

Phase one involves rearranging the lobby.

We’re opening things up to allow for better flow.

We’re enlarging the bathrooms and adding a third ADA bathroom.

We’re shifting concessions to the West side of the lobby and redesigning the kitchen to allow more menu options.

(Don’t worry we’ll still have the best popcorn in Alaska!)

While this is all happening up front we’ll be making some changes to the auditorium as well.

We’ll level a portion of the floor to create a cabaret seating area with tables and chairs and a low bar to sit at.

This is about where the money runs out. We want to jump right in to phase two while we’re already shut down and that’s where you come in.

Our Kickstarter goal is to raise an additional $33,000 to create a space that's perfect for live music and other performances. Homer needs a new venue, and The Porcupine will be that place for all of us. With great sound and support for all-ages shows, The Porcupine will give our kids a fun and safe place to go on a Friday night and allow for a greater variety of music and performance for all of us.

Homer’s movie theater has been a cornerstone of the community for nearly a century. In December of 1956, the current building on Pioneer Avenue was completed and has been a beloved gathering place for residents ever since. The local theater has long been a venue for both first-run movies and special events, including local film festivals and community gatherings.
Through its history, the theater has managed to adapt to changes in the film industry while maintaining its role as a cultural hub in Homer. Despite challenges, the theater has remained a vital part of the town's identity, providing entertainment and a shared space for the community to come together.

Its current incarnation is The Porcupine.

Susannah, Nate, Baldur & Rosanna bought the Homer Theater in September 2024, with top secret work on The Porcupine already well underway. Three of the group grew up locally, with the one member imported from the distant land of Germania. Together their diverse backgrounds equip them for this shared adventure, with skills in design, business management, construction and entertainment tech. They got to know each other sitting around fires, watching movies and playing D&D.

Why name it The Porcupine?

Good question.
Susannah’s parents had a home at the bottom of East Hill Road, where a resident porcupine lived in a large spruce tree just outside their bedroom window. They used to sleep with the bedroom window open slightly at night, allowing their cat, Herbie, to come and go. One night, there was a commotion at the window. Susannah’s mother got up, intending to sort out the cat, but was shocked to find the porcupine trying to climb in through the window! She yelled, and Susannah’s father jumped out of bed to assist (note: her parents sleep in the nude—not the best attire for battling a porcupine). After a struggle, they managed to wrestle the porcupine back outside, though they were left with a few quills as souvenirs.

Later, Susannah’s father decided to fabricate a steel collar for the tree to discourage the porcupine from making its home so close to the house. This worked somewhat, but the porcupine simply moved into the workshop attached to the house, making its home under the floorboards.

Some time later, Susannah’s parents experienced a devastating house fire. The state fire investigator determined that it started in the workshop, likely caused by gnawed electrical wiring. The porcupine had burned their house down.

But that’s not the end of the story. A few weeks after the fire, Susannah returned to the remains of the house to retrieve some family photographs from the burned-out, waterlogged wreckage. To her surprise, she discovered that the porcupine had taken up residence in her parents' bedroom, coming and going freely through the broken window. There was porcupine scat on their ruined mattress, and the door and window trim had been gnawed.

Clearly an example of resilience, stick-to-it-iveness, and business acumen, the porcupine has become their totem for this project and an inspiration to all involved.

We’d love to hear from you! Send us your ideas, questions, concerns and daydreams for the Theater!