Paige Albright
When the family that owned Arlington’s Capitol Theatre decided to step away from the business, they didn’t have to look far to find new owners. A group of four longtime employees took over the five-screen movie house and its sister, the Somerville Theatre, in May.
The new owners say they will preserve the Capitol, which turns 100 years old this month, and work to keep it open for generations to come.
“We basically said, ‘Why not us?’” said Ian Judge, the theater’s longtime manager and president of the new ownership group, CSB Theatres. “We put a deal together, and the old owners were happy to hand it off to a group they trusted. It’s definitely a risk, but nobody is better suited to run the theaters, so it was a calculated risk.”
Richard Fraiman and his family had been involved with the two theaters since 1979, when they acquired the Capitol Theatre building. After over 50 years in the business, Fraiman said it was time to look to a younger generation to take over. He said he was more than happy to step back, knowing the theaters were in good hands.
“My staff has been working with me for over 20 years, and they are good people,” Fraiman said. “They know the theaters. They love them. That’s their life. And I couldn’t think of anybody better to operate them, the people whom I trust.”
Visiting the Capitol is like stepping back into 1925. The vaulted ceilings, gold-plated crowning and old movie posters have remained through the decades, even as the original grand ballroom theaters were converted into five auditoriums.
Judge, Ian Brownell, Jamie Mattchen and Jay O’Leary are veteran employees of both the Capitol and Somerville theaters, the two businesses they took over. The Fraimans remain as landlords of the properties, with CSB leasing and operating the theaters. While none of the four has owned a business before, their experience and passion made it the right call, despite the risk, Judge said.
Mattchen walked into work at the theaters for the first time almost 20 years ago. As a recent college graduate at the time, she never envisioned that she would come to own that very theater.
“I literally showed up for work one day, and they were like, ‘Do you think you could run a building?’” Mattchen said. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured it out, and I’ve just kind of been here ever since.”
The group took over operations in May, and while their titles have changed, the day-to-day operations have stayed similar. The popcorn machines are switched on at the same time, and the old-timey ice cream parlor still serves up a chance to forget life for a while.
The group has no plans to change or overhaul the theaters. Their goal is simple: to keep the doors open to a crucial artistic haven.
“I want to make an honest living, and I want to keep the theater going for the next generation and preserve what it is here and make sure that people don’t get boxed out,” Mattchen said. “We are a cradle-to-grave service, meaning affordable experiences for any member of the community.”
The Capitol screens a range of movies, from blockbusters and arthouse films to classics. The movies playing there this week include top-name new movies like “The Mastermind” and “Blue Moon” and classics like “Pulp Fiction,” “Titanic” and “Casablanca.”
Tickets range from $10 to $15, depending on the movie and showtime. Judge and Mattchen said that even when theaters had financial troubles, raising prices was not an option.
Running a movie theater in 2025 is a challenge. Streaming platforms have drastically changed people’s viewing habits. Some 65 percent of Americans prefer to watch movies at home, The Wall Street Journal reported last year. Box office revenues this year are down 11 percent compared to last year, according to Comscore, a company that tracks audience data.
The new owners are not deterred.
“We live in these communities that these theaters are a part of; they mean something to the communities that they are in,” Judge said. “I think now more than ever there’s a lot of wear and tear on the social fabric, so these communal places are so important to everyone, a place to find inspiration.”
Outlasting economic recessions, wars and more, the doors to the Capitol have stayed open. Mattchen said it became apparent to her that Arlington truly cared for the Capitol during the pandemic. While the world was on lockdown, community members sent support and donations, she said.
The theater hosted the Arlington International Film Festival last month, screening 127 films from 29 countries. Anderson Pereira of Boston had no connection to Arlington before the festival, but as an immigrant from Brazil he was drawn in by the chance to experience something new.
“So this is fun for me to network with people,” Pereira said. “As a realtor, I have a lot of ideas for empty spaces to create, and it’s good to connect with the artists in the area. But my dream, honestly, my whole life, was to be an actor, really.”
For others, this was just another weekend at their beloved hometown theater, said Ishkhan Kozelian, a member of the festival’s management team who saw his first big-screen movie at the Capitol decades ago.
“We’ve been here for 100 years, and that was by no accident,” Mattchen said.
oin us in a celebration of our centennial! The Capitol Theatre has been Arlington’s neighborhood theater for 100 years. Help us continue this tradition for 100 more.
Centennial Celebration: The Capitol is marking its anniversary with special screenings of classic movies that will culminate with a celebration on the centennial on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. for “Casablanca,” a champagne toast and more (formal attire encouraged!)
This story, published Nov. 22. 2025, is part of a partnership between YourArlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.