Published: June 30, 2008 11:47 am            

Heart Theatre has new owner, will continue as movie forum

Effingham’s Heart Theatre will have a new owner despite no bids being accepted from a Saturday auction.

Owner Mark McSparin said he reached agreement with Ichabod’s Club Cardinale owner Lonnie Waymoth after the auction. McSparin declined to discuss terms of the agreement, but he did say Waymoth contacted him after the auction to offer an unspecified amount of money for the old theater, which has been vacant for about 18 months.

McSparin, a Charleston-based businessman who owns several other theaters, said he was “extremely surprised” the Heart didn’t sell at auction.

“The auction was a big disappointment,” he said. “I had it in my mind that we would receive an acceptable bid at the auction.”

He would not say what an acceptable bid was.

Angela Waymoth Lappin, Waymoth’s daughter, said she will be operating the theater with her mother Robbie Waymoth. Lappin said the Heart will show primarily second-run movies once it is open in early fall.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Lappin said. “It’s a historical landmark, and we wanted to make sure it stayed in the community.

“Our main focus will be to give back to the community,” she added. “We hope Effingham will embrace us.”

Lappin is a special education teacher at Effingham High School, while Robbie Waymoth is a retired teacher.

Lappin said the theater will require some minor renovations before it is ready for business.

McSparin bought the Heart from longtime owner Mike Stephens in 2002 and ran it himself for several months before leasing it to Decatur businessman Chuck Zweck, who tried to run it as an “art” theater with little success before declining to renew his lease at the end of 2006.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.