of Artcraft away from live events and toward primarily showing movies. The Artcraft remained the only operating theater in Franklin during the 1960s-2000. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the introduction of multiplex theaters across the United States. Kerasotes Theatres began plans to build a multiplex in Franklin. Michael Rembusch decided that his mono-plex could not compete with a multiplex so he built Canary Creek Cinemas in Franklin to out-compete the Kerasotes planned theater. Rembusch decided he could not operate two theatres in the same city made the decision to close and sell the Artcraft. The Artcraft showed Gone with the Wind as its last movie after operating continuously for 78 years in May 2000. Bob Schofield, a local businessman and owner of the Willard Restaurant, bought the Artcraft with hopes of attracting a younger generation to come back to the downtown area. He operated an ice cream shop, hosted concerts, and began an under-21 dance club. In May 2001, during one dance club night the southwest portion of the auditorium's ceiling collapsed. After repairing the collapse, a brief period of normal activity returned. Structural engineers condemned the building for electrical and structural reasons in August 2003. Unable to launch a massive campaign to repair the Artcraft, Bob Schofield agreed to Franklin Heritage Inc.'s offer to buy the Artcraft. Franklin Heritage Inc. Restoration In 2001, the historic preservation group Franklin Heritage, Inc. (FHI). decided to start renting the Artcraft to provide extra funds for restoration work and upkeep. Franklin Heritage, Inc.'s "Classic Film on a Classic Screen" campaign started on September 13, 2001 with a showing of From Here to Eternity. The patriotic film depicting America under attack at Pearl Harbor resonated with the recently shocked patrons following the terrorist attacks of September 11th. FHI continued to rent the building one Thursday and later one weekend a month. After purchasing the Artcraft with the support of the Johnson County Community Foundation, FHI began their "Marquee Project" of restoring the Artcraft to the height of its art deco style. FHI launched a $500,000 campaign to renovate the building. In 2006, FHI received a state historic preservation grant towards the restoration of the theater. The restoration of the Artcraft occurs in tangent with other preservation projects that FHI undertakes. The Artcraft celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 1, 2022. Today the theater hosts movie showings of classic films that are 10