Sept. 24, 2025

Every weekend, the smell of freshly made popcorn fills the Dells Theatre lobby.

It has been that way for generations. The Dell Rapids movie theater has welcomed children, teenagers and adults to its seats since 1938.

Brian Anderson, who has owned the theater since February 2021, likes being part of that history. He wants it to continue. But when he recently replaced the screen, he discovered the projector is nearing the end of its usefulness.

The part needed to repair it costs almost two-thirds the price of a brand-new laser projector, which not only would be more dependable but more energy efficient.

The cost of a replacement projector, though, is $40,000.

To help raise that money, Anderson will sell movie posters, costumes and other items from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, along with a silent auction from 10 to 11 a.m.

“It’s fun stuff that everybody might enjoy having like costumes and posters,” Anderson said. “I have a ‘Mighty Ducks’ jersey signed by quite a few of the cast and some other authenticated stuff that I’ve collected over the years.”

While most of the movie posters feature films that have shown at the Dell Theatre since Anderson bought it, he also is digging into his private collection. That goes back to 2003 when he was a student at Mitchell Technical College and he first began working at the movie theaters owned by Jeff Logan.

Anderson returned to Logan’s employment at the Dells Theatre in 2010 when he was living in Baltic. Anderson and his family now live in Dell Rapids, and his full-time work is with a Sioux Falls health system.

Raised in California, Anderson worked as a background actor as a child. When he moved and attended the Brandon Valley schools, his first job was at Century Theatre when it opened in Sioux Falls in November 1999.

“I didn’t think I would ever have a chance to buy this theater, but when Jeff decided to retire, he actually called me and said, ‘Do you want it?’ and I said, yeah, I do.”

The Dells Theatre is open Fridays through Mondays. It cut back on weekday shows during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a recent attempt to offer movies on Thursday nights was unsuccessful. School and extracurricular activities take up a lot of time for families, Anderson said.

That matters because the Dells Theatre does best when it offers movies that are family-friendly and appeal to children. Action-adventure movies and rom-coms are sometimes popular, but science fiction and horror films do not draw many people.

The theater’s upcoming schedule includes “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” opening Friday; “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” opening Oct. 3 or Oct. 11; “Truth & Treason,” Oct. 17, “Regretting You,” Oct. 24 and a special Halloween late-night showing of “Freaky” on Oct. 31.

Saturday’s sale also will include a popcorn popper that Anderson purchased at a convention. It is a household model with an 8-ounce kettle, suitable for a small concession stand, he said.

The Dells Theatre’s popcorn popper probably dates to the late 1990s. It was updated with a new main circuit board installed about six months ago. Anderson had hoped to raise funds to buy new theater seats, but the projector’s issues are taking priority.

“The projector and popcorn are the heart of a theater,” Anderson said.

Studio prize packages from recent movies will be sold through a raffle, Anderson said. The costumes on sale will include Mike and Sully from “Monsters, Inc.” and Olaf from “Frozen.”

Anderson also has started a GoFundMe page for contributions toward a new projector. In addition, a Dell Rapids business, Norby’s Bar & Grill, is planning to host a fundraiser in December.