St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema Vies for Award as Harbor Freight Opens

In St. Helena, Cameo Cinema owner Cathy Buck has nominated the historic single-screen movie house for the Motion Picture Academy's new Marquee Award, according to a profile in Napa Valley Marketplace Magazine, while in south Napa, tool and equipment retailer Harbor Freight opened a new store at 1203 W. Imola Ave. on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, as reported by the Napa Valley Register.

Community Support and Academy Nomination for St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema

Buck purchased the Cameo Cinema in 2007 from previous owner Charlotte Wagner after spending 21 years selling real estate. In 2009, with grant support from the Cantu Foundation — which backed Wednesday night independent art-house screenings — the theater installed its first digital projector before transitioning fully from film to digital projection and adding a Dolby Atmos surround-sound system.

According to Buck, major studios took between 30% and 35% of box-office revenue when she acquired the cinema, but now take between 65% and 72% while placing single-screen theaters in a third distribution tier behind big-city movie houses and multiplexes and requiring three-week runs for major releases. Because raising ticket prices would yield only about 30% of the increase for the theater, Buck keeps admission at $10 and relies on tax-deductible community donations, which go 100% to the cinema.

In 2012, Buck established the nonprofit 501(c)(3) Cameo Cinema Foundation to fund programming and capital needs, with contributions starting at $20 per month. The foundation is governed by a 10-member board led by Board President Ann Doyle, who joined the board in 2023 and became president in 2024. Buck also nominated the theater for the Motion Picture Academy's Marquee Award, which will recognize 25 theaters in the United States and 25 internationally for historic preservation, community engagement, and technical quality. Buck noted that while the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger guaranteed 30 movie releases per year, independent studios such as Black Bear Pictures — which released The Rivals of Amziah King starring Matthew McConaughey — have expanded programming options.

Harbor Freight Opens at 1203 W. Imola Ave. in South Napa

In south Napa, Harbor Freight opened its newest store on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, at 1203 W. Imola Ave. Store manager Lourdes Pizano said the location carries hand tools, power tools, generators, tool storage, and automotive, welding, shop, and outdoor equipment.

The south Napa store created 10 to 15 local jobs, joining 3,850 California associates across 151 stores in the state and more than 1,600 Harbor Freight locations nationwide serving over 75 million customers. Operating hours at 1203 W. Imola Ave. are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.