Cozy Theater’s Outdoor Return Latest Plan of Schulenburg’s “Refurb the Burg”
Coronavirus may have stopped many things from happening this year, however it has brought back the good old days...just with a twist. Ryan Wotipka and his wife, Erin are bringing back The Cozy Theater in Schulenburg, but with an outdoor style.
Built in 1927, the Von Minden Hotel was one of the last hotel/theater combinations of its kind. Sadly, it hasn’t played any movies in the last decade and during that time the building itself was in a state of disrepair. The previous owners decided to close the movie theater since the movie equipment went digital and the cost for a single screen theater became too expensive. In 2017 the Wotipkas decided to buy and start renovating the Von Minden. The plan is for it to become a wine bar with food or the possibility of the sale of condos inside the hotel space. Buying and renovating the Von Minden Hotel also started a movement called Refurb the Burg.
“Erin and I, along with our Schuber (Schulenburg’s taxi service) partners, Geoffrey and Lindsey Schiffli, began our transportation business in 2015 as a physical way to link everything going on in our area. It was then we started a dialogue of what pieces it would take to make Schulenburg an even better place,” said Ryan. “Erin and I were driving back into town from a weekend getaway trip and noticed our entryway to our town was looking sad and forgotten, so we decided to start a Facebook group looking for people who wanted to ‘Refurb the Burg’.”
The Refurb the Burg movement is about creating the place you would want to live. It brings city highlights to rural areas. It promotes local businesses, entrepreneurship, biking, walking and the beauty of the town of Schulenburg.
The developers believe refurbishing old buildings or projects rather than just building something new.
Throughout the three years the Refurb the Burg Facebook group has been up, it has continued to grow and has continued to help Schulenburg’s local businesses share promotional ideas and encourage the importance of shopping and supporting local businesses. The Facebook group has been even more important now during COVID-19 because it has been a go-to for Schulenburg locals to help get the word out about their needs and wants during this uncertain time.
Speaking of time, the Wotipkas decided now would be the perfect time to bring back The Cozy Theater, but with an old school feel. “People are looking for fun and safe things to do in our small town. They are looking to have a good time and be able to socialize with their friends in a safe manner,” said Ryan. “We want to offer this to others and allow their kids to enjoy some of the simple things in life.” The new location of the theater is the existing parking lot at the Von Minden. It had once been a used car lot, so the space size works best with the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. The Von Minden rooftop
The Von Minden rooftop will also be available in a later phase of the hotel renovation for an even more outdoor accessible movie experience. No exact date has been set to start launching movies, but it will be soon, Ryan said.
“We are going to get started on the project right away, but we are shooting to start showings as soon as Texas doesn’t melt you into a puddle at 8 p.m. at night,” he said.
Besides Schuber, the Von Minden, Jack and Mary’s and The Cozy Theater, the Wotipkas haven’t slowed down. Now they are also working on their newest Refurb the Burg project called, Howdy from The Burg. Erin said, “Howdy from The Burg is working with locals on creating solid marketing tools that can be used to help promote The Burg for locals and to attract out of towners. Our marketing campaign will not just cover businesses, but local attractions, history of Schulenburg and help showcase the hot spots in our area.”
Schulenburg’s slogan may be “Halfway to Everywhere,” but if the Wotipkas and the Refurb the Burg movement has anything to say about it, Schulenburg will be the next destination town.