New Rustic Theatre owner Kevin Nett is seen here with his wife Amy and children Aiden and Addison. Photo courtesy the Netts
New Rustic Theatre owner Kevin Nett is seen here with his wife Amy and children Aiden and Addison.
Photo courtesy the Netts

Temecula attorney Kevin P. Nett recently closed escrow on purchasing the Rustic Theatre. He is an enthusiastic film buff, historian and collector of fine-quality movie and concert posters.

Of the many changes he is planning, the first is to turn the Rustic Theatre lobby into a gallery and shop, open during the day, to display and sell posters and memorabilia from his collection. “If we don’t have them in stock, we can order them and look up their last auction value,” said Nett. “We’ll also have hundreds of vintage photographs from movie sets, as well as historic film press kits and film negatives. This is history we’re looking at. We’ll have an online gallery as well, with many really old film-noir posters, say from ‘The Maltese Falcon.’” Nett, with imagination and flair, will call the new lobby emporium “The Boris and Bela Gallery” after vintage horror movie stars Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Nett has an infectious, almost boyish enthusiasm about his poster collection and this opportunity to make the Rustic into an exciting and varied entertainment destination. He plans to present special events on screen, such as the Oscars and the Super Bowl.

“I’ve already paid for the rights for public display of these events,” he said. “We can do black tie and red carpet for the Oscars. I’ve applied for an ongoing beer and wine license. We already have it for special events.” Nett said he plans to upgrade theater food to “gourmet movie fare” with the possibility of higher-end offerings for special events. He plans to screen Turner Classic Movies free during the day and is open to the idea of doing theater, jazz concerts and Broadway reviews after his first-run films screen. “We’ll be upgrading the website and creating a calendar of special events,” said Nett.

“I’ve been coming to Idyllwild for 40 years and the opportunity to buy the Rustic came at the most perfect moment.” In addition to the law practice he runs with his attorney wife, Nett also is a licensed real estate broker and general contractor. With those skill sets, he is already in the process of making cosmetic changes that will give the theater more flexibility for multiple uses.

“By owning the Rustic, this gives me the opportunity to enjoy my creative side and show my kids a different part of who I am,” he said.

Nett has a bachelor’s degree in political science (with distinction), with a minor in philosophy from San Diego State University and a juris doctorate from California Western School of Law in San Diego. With his wife Amy, he heads the law offices of Nett and Nett, specializing in business, finance, mergers, real estate, construction and intellectual property law. He also heads the Nett-Gross Group, commercial real estate transactions, and mortgage banking and finance, as well as the Aven Construction Company, focusing on commercial construction.

An original 1968 poster from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (United Artists) directed by Sergio Leone and one of the archetypal “Spaghetti Westerns,” part of Kevin Nett’s collection of movie memorabilia. Photo courtesy Kevin Nett
An original 1968 poster from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (United Artists) directed by Sergio Leone and one of the archetypal “Spaghetti Westerns,” part of Kevin Nett’s collection of movie memorabilia.
Photo courtesy Kevin Nett

He is a current board member of Temecula Youth Baseball and corporate counsel for Western Eagle Foundation, a food bank and distribution center dedicated to feeding the needy, and Lyme Earth, a charitable fundraising service for promoting research, education and other activities relating to the prevention, treatment and cure of Lyme disease.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Although I am upset that Kevin Nett has literally stolen my life’s dream, I congratulate him on the purchase of the Rustic and his plans for expanding its programming, as well as the addition of a memorabilia store. I too am a lifelong movie fan with a poster collection of my own. I have also written some movies and currently work for Sony Pictures helping to develop film scripts. Please let Mr. Nett know that, although I am a resident of Murrieta, I love the Rustic and I would be happy to help in any way I can to participate and/or promote his endeavor to ensure that people of all ages have access to all kinds of movies–new and old. Best of luck.