Community members who grumbled at the loss of the local movie theater and have been driving elsewhere for their entertainment can start saving their gas in mid-November.

As of this morning, Newton couple and former Capitol II Theater managers Dawn and Paul Bleeker purchased the iconic movie theater when Dawn drove to Missouri to sign paperwork from the former owners. Parent company Big Time Cinema filed for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Missouri on Aug. 31, forcing the closure of the movie theater on Sept. 12.

“The owners had discussed with us for quite some time about the purchase of it, but we weren’t ready at that point. Then, one of the partners went bankrupt so they let go of all our Iowa theaters, and at that point they gave us the option of buying it,” Dawn said.