The Max Theatres has been a sole proprietorship for many years. Established in 1917 when a Mr. Dixon purchased an old opera house named Port's Theatre. He changed the name to the Royal Theatre. In 1919 a new Royal Theatre was built. It featured a lobby, foyer, women's bathroom, its own power supply, the first air conditioning in the area, and 525 seats. In 1929 the theatre came under new management. It was at this time that sound equipment was installed. It was called talkie vitaphone. 

The Max Theatre in 1950.

At that time it was called the Royal Theatre. One year later the marquee would be changed to what it is currently, The Max Theatre.

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In 1941 Richard Carl Max came to Sibley. R.C. Max as he was known, had come from running a general store with his brother in Kaylor S.D. In 1941 R.C. Max bought the theatre from Otto Lehmen. In 1951 he designed a new marquee and named the place Max Theatre. We recently received a letter from Alice Max Krebs, RC Max's Daughter.

Mr. Max incorporated new ideas to the movie business. He introduced one of the first wide screens called cinemascope in the area, and sold soda bottles to go with the popcorn, The soda bottles had to be drank in the lobby in fear of spilling or breaking the glass in the auditorium. 

In 1962, Larry Pedley and Aileen Sleeper started working at the theatre with Max. Larry was hired as a projectionist and Aileen as a concession worker (they later got married). In 1973 Larry and Aileen Pedley leased the theatre from R.C. Max. When Max died in 1981, Larry and Aileen purchased the theatre from his heirs. 

During the farm crisis the theatre was having a hard time getting people to come to the movie. At that time ticket prices were $3.50 a person. In 1987 the price was lowered to $.99 a ticket. People thought that it was neat that they paid a dollar and still got change. There was a penny jar that people could put their penny in and when it was full there was a contest to guess how much money was in the jar. If you won you got a years pass to the theatre. The money was then given to a local charity. A few years later when sales tax was raised in Iowa the admission was raised to $1.00. Not long after that the admission was raised to $2.00 due to rising inflation and the cost of living. Also the movie companies started having a per capita amount, and if that amount wasn't met the movie couldn't be bought. 

In 1995, the Max Theatre went under some major renovations and expansion. Next door a video store was torn down and a new building was put up to make room for a second auditorium. New restrooms that were handicapped accessible were put in and the sound equipment was upgraded. The concession stand was enlarged and new seats and carpet were installed.