It’s one of Cork’s coolest buildings.

Now the Kino on Washington Street is about to be brought back to life under the watchful eyes of promoters Ed O’Leary and Joe Kelly of The Good Room.

This morning, the pair revealed they have taken over the iconic arthouse cinema and plan to reopen in mid-September as a live music venue, theatre space, bar and café.

It’s an excellent fit too; The Good Room are behind the award-winning Live at St Luke’s concert series, It Takes A Village Festival, Cork Podcast Festival, Crosstown Drift, and a host of other unique events around Cork city and county.

“The Kino is an iconic landmark building in Cork city going back to its pool hall days through to its life as an art house cinema.” says Ed O’Leary.

‘We’ve got some incredible acts booked’

“We’ve been on the hunt for this exact size and type of venue the past few years and the timing is perfect for both us and the city. We’re going to spend a month working on refurbishments and will be installing a brand new sound and lighting set up. Doors will open mid-September and we have already got some incredible acts booked in, which we’ll be announcing soon.”

The venue will boast a state-of-the-art PA and lighting system, with full AV set up as well as a bar and café.

According to Ed and Joe, the aim is to create something similar to Live at St Luke’s and create a space for the best of local, national, and international, acts on with other disciplines like theatre, film, comedy, and family events.