The Edmonds Theater has had a colorful past. Born as the Union Theater in 1916, its home was across the street, where the Edmonds Bakery now resides. From 1916-1921 it had as many different owners as its had names. The first, long time owners, Thomas and Helen Berry, purchased the theater in 1921 and called it "The Princess."

In 1923, the Berry's built a much larger theater right across the street, where it sits currently. They even added a stage for live performances. At that time,  many young women of Edmonds held their first job working as ushers in the brand new theater.

Eventually the Berry's went into a partnership with their daughter and son-in-law, the Browns. The theater showed news reels which were the primary source of war news during WWII. The Browns continued running the theater after the Berry's passing, in 1952. Between 1952 and 1979 the theater again went through many owners and many name changes. Some of the owners include J.B. Geizentanner, Jim Selvidge, Jim and Sally Kneist, Earl Prebezac, and Jim O'Steen.

In 1979 Jacque Mayo purchased the theater from Jim O'Steen and named it "The Edmonds Theater." During the first few years, it was run as an art film house. Eventually, he turned it into a second-run theater, charging a lofty $1 per ticket. A few years later, he found it necessary to change its status to show first-run films, where it has since remained. In 1999, with the help of his right-hand man, Blake Longsine, he restored much of the theater to its original art deco style.

Since its inception, the Theater has impacted Edmonds in many ways. Specifically, in the last forty years, it has been a venue for the Mayor's State of the City Address, Rick Steve's travel classes, community Santa gatherings, local business sponsored movies, birthday parties, local elementary school auction items and many, many first dates. To all patrons, it has been a place to laugh, to cry, to learn, to explore different points of view and to go to galaxies far far away.

To Jacque's daughter's, Stephanie and Michelle, (the current owners,) the theater is a reflection of "community" and a reminder of their father who wanted the theater to provide foot traffic to benefit the small businesses in the downtown core. As you enter the theater, a picture of Jacque and their brother Jon, who worked in the theater as a teenager, can be found amongst the many movie legends depicted in a mural painted by local artist, Andy Eccleshall.