Johnson Creek music and event venue The Gobbler Theater is set to reopen in May under new ownership following its sale, which finalized in early March.
After years of closure due to COVID-19 and the death of its previous owner, Daniel Manesis, the iconic 400-seat, turkey-shaped building at 350 N. Watertown St. will reopen as the same live music concept after being sold to a new ownership group for $1.25 million, according to state records.
Jim Weatherly, Ronald Berman, Jon Kaiser and Paul Bensman are spearheading the “turnkey” reopening, said Kaiser.
Their intention is to reopen the theater as it once was, with added programming to include national and international acts. Performances will range from tribute acts and comedy shows to showcases of local artists and TED Talks, or presentations of the sort. Plans for the theater include a lineup of programming designed to bring people together, according to a news release from Johnson Creek.
“The goal is to diversify our crowd base,” Kaiser said.
The performance structure will include hosting shows every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Before opening in the middle of May, the new ownership team will work to fill the calendar with events and make small updates to the venue’s interior. Minor modifications include replacing ceiling tiles and making some aesthetic changes, Kaiser said. The ownership group will also hire new staff to operate the venue.
The Gobbler will host a series of soft openings prior to the grand opening in mid-May to properly train staff and solidify operational procedures.
A passion for the arts drew The Gobbler’s new ownership team together.
Bensman, CEO at New Radio Media and Locations Commercial Real Estate Services, has been investing in theaters around the country for nearly a decade. Bensman connected with Weatherly, who was an early investor in a theater in Detroit, Michigan, and together introduced The Gobbler project to Berman last summer.
Kaiser became involved when the team approached him with an investment opportunity. Combined with the area’s population density and the historic status of the building, the offer to reopen the business in its prime location off of highway I-94 was compelling, he said.
“We’re buying it basically turnkey,” Kaiser said. “The previous owners put a lot of money into the building, investing in a brand-new sprinkler system, sound and lighting system, and point of sale system.”
The Gobbler first opened as a supper club in 1967 featuring décor of the era like purple shag carpet and a slow-rotating bar. It existed under that concept until 1992 and then closed, sitting vacant until 2014 when Manesis purchased the venue and revitalized it. It underwent a multi-million renovation and opened as a live music venue, ditching the supper club concept. The Gobbler Theater was operational from 2014 to 2021, citing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as its reason for closure in June that year, according to a Facebook post from the venue.
That same year, Manesis died leaving operation of the theater to his wife Stacey Manesis. Though she did not reopen the theater, she facilitated the sale to the theater’s current owners. The sale finalized on March 2 this year.
Inside The Gobbler Theater. Photo credit: Jon Kaiser.
