Modern Hollywood meets vintage charm at the Apollo Theater in Princeton

When the sun goes down in Princeton, the neon marquee of the Apollo Theater begins to glow.

The historic building stands in one of the city’s two downtown districts, where it has served as an entertainment venue for 141 years. The theater originally served as an opera house and staged variety shows before installing its first projection machine around 1910.

“The building’s been used since 1883 – quite a long time,” said Jay Schneider, owner of the Apollo. “It started off as an exhibition hall, then it became a vaudeville stage. In the 1920s, it became a movie theater.”

That’s been its identity ever since. For nearly a century, the Apollo has continued its legacy as a cinema.

Jay and his wife, Lara, operate the two-screen cinema six days a week, with regular assistance from their son and daughter. A typical week features one showtime per screen Tuesday through Thursday, two showtimes per screen Friday and Saturday, and three showtimes per screen on Sunday. The lineup includes new Hollywood releases and arthouse films.

Theater attendance nationwide sharply declined in 2020 when the government issued stay-at-home orders to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Studios began releasing films to streaming services sooner, causing a rise in at-home viewership and changing the patterns in which people consume movies.

Theater attendance has rebounded somewhat in recent years, although not to pre-pandemic heights. Jay hopes to see a continued rise in attendance. He has fond memories of visiting cinemas during his childhood in Germany. A trip to the theater provided more than a movie – it was an entire experience.

“We didn’t have a theater in the town where I lived, but we had one the next town over. I remember taking the bus with my friends and just going over there and watching movies. [...] I grew up going to a movie theater that had an arcade,” Jay said, reminiscing about playing games before the film began.

As a nod to that nostalgia, Jay installed two arcade games children can play for free in the Apollo’s lobby.

To enhance a movie outing, the Apollo often includes special touches and events for a film’s premiere. For animated children’s films such as “Wish” and “The Wild Robot,” the Schneiders hosted a pajama premiere party – guests who wore pajamas to the theater received free gifts or popcorn.

“I made Minion cupcakes for one of the Minion movies,” Lara said. “We’ve done face painting. We’ve dressed up as characters for premieres, and if [guests] dressed up as a character from a movie, they won a small prize. Sometimes we have raffle baskets and will draw a name before the movie begins.”

A staple of the theater experience is the popcorn – at the Apollo, the Schneiders say the popcorn is extra special.

“We have the best popcorn. Ask anybody around here,” Lara said. “Our popcorn machine is from the ‘60s. They don’t make them anymore.”

Lara said the same model of Cretors popcorn machine used at the Apollo is on display at museums, but the Apollo’s is still in use and serving customers. The popcorn machine is especially popular on Tuesdays, which is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket) Night. Guests can bring their own lap-sized container and fill it for 75 cents.

The Apollo’s facade and popcorn machine provide vintage charm, but the auditoriums are fully modern with digital projectors and 7.1 Dolby Digital surround sound.

The Schneiders bought the theater in 2009 and celebrated their 15th anniversary with the business in January 2024. Whenever Jay is asked why he bought the theater, his answer is always the same:

“It was for sale.”

Jay wanted to own his own business, and since the couple lived in Lara’s hometown of Princeton, it made sense to him to invest in their community.

“My background is hospitality. I was looking for a place,” Jay said. “Movies were always in my blood, and hospitality plays a role, too. For me, it was clear. I saw it was for sale. I knew I wanted to buy it.”

The Apollo hosts an anniversary celebration each year around Jan. 9, marking the date the Schneiders took over the theater operation. The celebration includes free popcorn, door prizes and a charity poster sale in which all of the year’s remaining movie posters are for sale, with proceeds benefiting Gateway Services in Princeton.

“I think it’s a big part of Princeton,” Jay said of the Apollo. “It’s been here longer than anybody who is around. There’s so many people who appreciate it.”

The Princeton Walk of Fame

A reflection of Hollywood exists in front of the Apollo Theater in the form of the Princeton Walk of Fame.

Seven stars and plaques are embedded in the sidewalk in front of the Apollo to celebrate former Princeton residents and their accomplishments. The monument is similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which honors major names and achievements in the entertainment industry.

The Princeton Walk of Fame started with the Remembering Richard Widmark organization. A group of citizens installed a star and plaque in honor of Richard Widmark, a prominent actor in the 1940s through 1970s who starred alongside other Hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne. His acting career continued through 1991. Widmark lived in Princeton from 1925 to 1932, attending local schools from sixth grade through high school and working as a doorman at the Apollo Theater.

Princeton Tourism and the city of Princeton expanded the sidewalk monument to honor additional influential citizens with links to the community. Six more stars and plaques on the walk of fame include:

• Kathryn Hays: Actress known for roles in “As the World Turns” and “Star Trek.”

• Nick Young: Broadcast journalist and former anchor of “CBS World News Roundup.”

• Keith Knudsen: Drummer for the Doobie Brothers band.

• Douglas Spencer: Actor in the 1930s and 1940s.

• Gary Green: Founding member and guitarist of rock band Gentle Giant.

• Virgil Fox: Famous American organist hailed as a child prodigy and virtuoso performer. His father, Miles Fox, bought The Apollo in 1925.