In 2022, Three Oaks’ historic Vickers Theatre was for sale. Collectively, a community held its breath. What would happen to the beloved 1930s-era mainstreet cinema? Then, an unlikely hero appeared: Zach Hackett from Vero Beach, Florida, who instantly recognized something special when he saw it.

We sat down with Zach to talk about how he and his new neighbors are, together, ushering ‘the Vickers’ into a new and vibrant era.

Tell us how you made your way from Florida to Three Oaks.

Three Oaks is like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. I had a friend here, and when I visited the first time, I was genuinely blown away. Then I fell in love with the Vickers—not just that it’s a movie theater. But the sound, the variety, the beauty. It’s transportive. There are fewer than a thousand theaters like it in the country.

Buying it was a shot in the dark. But I could tell there was a big support structure here. Even though I had no clue what I was doing, having that support would give me time to figure it out.

What business were you in at the time?

My wife, Chrissy, and I run a manufacturing company. A family business in Florida.

What did people say when you told them you were buying a theater in Michigan?

Everyone thought I was crazy. I was in my late 30s. Chrissy was like, ‘Is this a midlife crisis?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know, maybe?’ I’ve always been interested in unique old buildings. So this was right up my alley. Then the movie part just kind of worked. Because we didn’t know any better, we just kept asking our distributors for new releases, classic films—movies theaters this size don’t typically get.

People who are into film are very passionate. 

Yes, very much.

How was it received when you said, ‘Hey, I’m the new guy. I bought your theater, but I don’t know movies.’

There were some surprised faces. But there were a lot of people who were very supportive from the get-go. A gentleman named Bill Lindblom ran the theater for many years. Now Bill personally introduces our Throwback Thursday classic films almost every week.

When I was buying the Vickers, I thought, ‘It would be so cool to play old movies like Lawrence of Arabia in here.’ Now we do it 52 times a year.

It sounds like you fell in love with the town and the building, and then you fell in love with film.

Yes, but more with the local film community. One of the things I wasn’t counting on was that this theater, through different owners and eras, has maintained a community of supporters and fans. Last fall, we hosted Thanksgiving here at the theater, and we had a table that stretched from one wall to the other. It was 20 people long—all people we’ve met here. This theater is part of their family.

How has the Vickers changed since you’ve been at the helm?

In the past, Vickers mostly played art house movies. But that can be isolating to anyone who just wants to see the new Marvel movie. When Chrissy and I took over, we asked, ‘Why don’t we do a little bit for everyone?’ Now we show new movies and old movies, like The Godfather and Casablanca. We have comedy shows, music, book readings, parties, weddings. I always want to try more.

This is the community’s theater. If it was just my theater, like, great, I’d sit here and watch movies all day. But this place doesn’t mean anything without the whole community coming here. 

You take programming suggestions via a community chalkboard. How did that start?

We basically grabbed some chalkboard paint and rolled on a five by five square. Then we really just wrote, “What do you want to see?” It filled up so fast, people were writing suggestions in, like, font-size six in chalk. Then it became a whole wall, which became two walls. Now we’re adding more in the balcony.

I want to give people a piece of this theater and permission to be part of it. People love giving their opinions, but being able to draw on the wall of a beloved historic building? That’s not a thing you get to do very often. We’re all putting our mark on here.

Do you ever have second thoughts about buying a century-plus-old movie theater?

It’s a labor of love. And it’s infinitely worth it because it’s a place where people congregate. Many times, I’ve stood in the back and thought, ‘I cannot believe this is mine.’ I didn’t save it. I kept it going. And I would do it again 100 times out of 100

Vickers Theatre
6 N Elm Street
Three Oaks, Michigan

words  Lena Singer
images  Alexander Kramer
March 2026

Interview edited for length and clarity.