‘Wolly’ may get an encore

The 83-year-old movie house, known to locals affectionately as “The Wolly,’’ has been vacant since 2003, and remains a dark, empty shell of its former self. The blank marquee at 14 Beale St. has left many wondering if the theater will ever reopen, and some fear that it could eventually be torn down.

But the recent purchase of the building for just over $1 million by Street-Works Development LLC has given new hope to the neighborhood that the old theater can be saved. The New York-based developer, which is working on projects in other parts of the city, says it bought the theater at the encouragement of Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch.

Koch hailed the deal as a victory, and said it will buy some time for a nonprofit organization to raise money to restore the facility, which is in need of major repairs.

“The real work begins now,’’ said Koch in a statement last week. “It is going to require a major communitywide effort to make this happen.’’

Much of that work will be spearheaded by the newly formed Wollaston Theater Foundation. The group will look into what needs to be done, how much it will cost, and how the theater can best be used in the future. According to the foundation’s website, www.wollastontheater.com, the goal is to resurrect the Wolly as a performing arts venue that can host stage productions, movies, and concerts.

Kris Meyer, a North Quincy native-turned-Hollywood producer, has been tapped to lead the foundation’s efforts.

Meyer works with Peter and Bobby Farrelly, and his film credits include hit comedies such as “Me, Myself and Irene,’’ “Shallow Hal,’’ and “Fever Pitch.’’ His most recent endeavor, a documentary on former star Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant titled “The Lost Son of Havana,’’ screens tomorrow at Showcase Cinemas in Revere, Worcester, and Warwick, R.I.

Meyer went to the Wolly often in his youth, and one of the last movies he saw there was “Shallow Hal.’’ He says he would love to have a movie premiere there someday.

“It’ll be a great place if we can bring it back to what it once was,’’ said Meyer. “There are few places like this left.’’

Mark J. Carey, executive director of Discover Quincy and the Quincy Film Bureau, will also be working on behalf of the foundation and the campaign to restore the theater.

“My first date was there. My first kiss was there. My father brought his first date there,’’ said Carey. “Everyone has a story about the Wolly.’’

Carey toured the theater last year. “It’s a mess inside,’’ he said.

But it’s also a remarkable time capsule.

Carey said inside the auditorium is an orchestra pit and a stage with enough room for 100 people. Trap doors on the stage floor lead to dressing rooms below, which are furnished with vanities that date back to vaudeville. The same organ that once provided soundtracks to silent movies is still there, he said.

At the entrance, the initials “WT’’ are embedded in a mosaic floor. There are stained glass windows above the front doors. The lobby has a terrazzo floor.

“This place is gigantic,’’ said Carey. “It’s amazing.’’

The Wollaston Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When it opened, The Boston Daily Globe reported that “The theatre is the first of its kind in Wollaston and will offer vaudeville as well as picture shows.’’ The 1,259-seat theater opened Nov. 15, 1926, to a sold-out crowd.

“For years it was the anchor of that street,’’ said Edward F. Fitzgerald, executive director of the Quincy Historical Society. “It’s really the last standing theater in the city.’’

Originally owned by W.W. Wilson, a Wollaston realtor, the theater didn’t change hands much over the years. Edward H. Sears, the contractor who built the theater, assumed ownership of the property in the 1930s. The Sears family held it until the 1970s.

The most recent owners - Arthur and Yvonne Chandler - bought the theater in 1979. The husband-and-wife team ran the theater themselves. Yvonne sat in the booth selling tickets, and Arthur served candy, popcorn, and sodas at the concession stand. Arthur was also known to cruise the aisles, armed with a flashlight, making sure young audience members behaved. After the show, the couple stayed to sweep the floors and lock up for the night.

As the number of single-screen movie theaters dwindled, the Chandlers pressed on, and kept their prices low. As late as 2002, they were charging 10 cents for a cup of coffee, and admission on Monday and Tuesday (“buck night’’) was $1.

Over time, the building began to show its age. There were leaks in the roof. Paint was peeling off in sheets from the walls and ceiling. The floor was so sticky, footsteps made noise.

The Chandlers closed the theater in 2003, and when Arthur died last April, many wondered what would happen next.

“A lot of folks were holding their breath, in regards to the fate of the theater,’’ said Ward 5 City Councilor Douglas S. Gutro. “The fact that Street-Works has stepped up, it’s protected for the time being. It’s encouraging to know we have a placeholder on it. It basically gives us an opportunity to exhale, evaluate it thoroughly, and think more strategically about moving forward.’’

The sale was finalized on June 16, when Street-Works Development acquired the property from Yvonne Chandler. The deal included the theater and three neighboring storefronts - the barbershop, locksmith, and Christian Science Reading Room - on Beale Street. The properties sold for $1,145,000, according to records at the Norfolk Register of Deeds.

“Mrs. Chandler owned the theater for more than 30 years,’’ said Milton lawyer, Peter J. Hoy, who represented Yvonne Chandler in the sale. “She’s very happy these people seem to show interest in renovating and restoring it.’’

Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com.