After 24 years, Nasim & Chris Kuenzel have decided to retire from their position as owners of the CAMEO Art House Theatre. The theater will become available for new ownership at the end of 2024. We are looking for a new family, group or individual to carry on the legacy of Fayetteville’s historic cinema, maintain an inspirational arts venue, and shepherd the iconic edifice into its next visionary chapter.
First opened in 1914 as the NEW DIXIE, a silent moving pictures theater, the building eventually transitioned into Dixie Billiards and Eddie's Music Center. Nearby downtown theaters such as the Broadway, Miracle and Colony all succumbed to the wrecking ball as businesses relocated to the newly created mall area. During this period of decline the building was condemned and Fayetteville slowly forgot about the Dixie Theater and the joy of watching movies downtown.
In 1997, the Kuenzels, along with Eric Lindstrom, dreamed of opening a unique and state-of-the-art independent cinema in the former Dixie Theater at 225 Hay Street. For three years, the three researched the movie industry, visited several successful indie theaters and began meticulously restoring the historic building. In October of 2000, the CAMEO Art House Theatre opened its doors. This venture would not have come to fruition without the unwavering support of family members, friends and volunteers. In 2002, the CAMEO blossomed into a two-screen venue by opening The LOGE, an intimate 38-seat screening room on the second floor. Capitalizing on a strong commitment to historic preservation and NC tax credits, the project was awarded the prestigious Gertrude S. Caraway Award of Merit in 2003.
Since then, the CAMEO has hosted countless award-winning films, festivals, movie premieres and community events. Specializing in art and independent films that otherwise would not have been seen in Cumberland County is what endeared the CAMEO to devoted cinephiles. In 2012 the motion picture industry experienced a seismic shift. Digital cinema was being forced upon theaters, and unless our film projection equipment was replaced, the CAMEO would have ceased to exist as a movie house. Remarkably, a dedicated group of supporters banded together, forming a SAVE OUR CAMEO fundraising campaign that allowed the theater to evolve into the digital age with new projection equipment. Many other theaters were not as fortunate and were unable to continue. Without the help and generosity of our community we would have experienced the same fate. Today, the CAMEO continues to thrive as an arts venue dedicated to showcasing a diverse assortment of the best independent, documentary, foreign, classic and family films. In addition to hosting concerts, plays and comedy shows, CAMEO serves a premier public event gathering space welcome to all.
Lastly, CAMEO would not have become what it is today without the tremendous support of our avid membership base and the most incredible staff a business could ever hope for.
On with the show!
Ownership inquiries: nasim@cameoarthouse.com
