Ridglea Theater owner talks potential sale, what’s next for Fort Worth landmark
Fort Worth’s historic Ridglea Theater and its surrounding commercial/retail spaces are on the market, though owner Amy Herrig said it will likely be a while before a deal is made.
Herrig and her dad, Jerry Shults, purchased the Ridglea Theater, at 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd., in 2010. At the same time, they also bought the adjacent Ridglea Village commercial property (3309 Winthrop Ave.). They added the rear section of the complex, called the Renaissance (3341 Winthrop Ave.), to their portfolio in 2013, bringing the entire site under one umbrella.
Herrig said she and her dad had been approached a couple of times over the years about selling the Ridglea property, but a viable deal never materialized. The last overture from a developer came roughly two years ago, and that got Herrig and Shults thinking about the Ridglea’s future.
Ideally, Herrig said, they’d find a developer who’s willing to enter into a partnership with them so the family can remain involved with the Ridglea in some capacity. When Herrig and Shults bought it, the theater was reportedly facing demolition. A multiyear renovation project undertaken by Shults rescued it from the wrecking ball.
“My dad ate, slept and breathed the Ridglea, and he saved it,” said Herrig, calling the theater “his legacy.”
It’s that uniquely personal connection that makes it hard for Herrig to simply walk away from the Ridglea, but it’s tough owning and managing the property from Alaska, where she now lives and where her father spends half the year.
“If we could be part of it forever, that would be great,” said Herrig.
The Ridglea as a Fort Worth landmark
Construction on the Ridglea Theater, which was built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, began in the late 1940s, and it opened as a movie house in December 1950. The theater was converted to a live performance venue in 1997, and it underwent additional renovations in subsequent years. Owing to its local cultural and architectural significance, the Ridglea was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
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From the late 1990s through the mid 2000s, the Ridglea Theater was a renowned local rock venue, hosting area bands like the Toadies, the Old 97s and Tripping Daisy along with national acts like Queens of the Stone Age.
In more recent years, the Ridglea has continued showcasing live music along with boxing matches, comedians and speakers of note. Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke appeared there on Aug. 9 in support of Texas Democratic lawmakers.
Because of the theater’s historic landmark status, it’s largely protected from redevelopment. But Herrig said the other portions of the property, with office and retail spaces, can be renovated or redeveloped, and she believes they are ripe for such an opportunity given the site’s location near the intersection of Camp Bowie and Bryant Irvin Road.
Herrig reiterated that she and her father don’t have to sell, and they listed the property mostly to gauge interest and see what kinds of proposals they receive.
Regardless of what happens, Herrig believes the Ridglea Theater should remain a live music destination. She called it a “crown jewel” for Fort Worth, though she admitted she’d like the city and the community to do more to keep it that way. In Herrig’s view, after the initial campaign to save the theater from demolition back in 2010 there hasn’t been as much support for the venue as she had anticipated.
The property’s broker, Jeff Givens with Transwestern, previously told the Star-Telegram he expected the property to fetch north of $10 million if it sold.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM.