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AMC closing the Plaza 3 in Keokuk
posted by
CSWalczak
on
November 15, 2010 at 7:50 am
KEOKUK, IA — The Plaza Cinema 3 will closed by AMC as of November 28. The shutdown follows the shuttering of the Fox Theater in nearby Fort Madison last May.
Kerasotes purchased the theater in 1982, according to Schmid. AMC Entertainment also owns the AMC Quincy Mall 3 and AMC Quincy Showplace 6 theaters in Quincy, Ill.
“AMC continually upgrades the quality of our theatre circuit by adding new screens and by disposing of older screens through closures and sales. We do, however, look at our theatres on an individual basis,” said AMC Entertainment spokesperson Justin Scott. “Unfortunately, the AMC Plaza 3 has been identified as a theatre that no longer competes effectively in the marketplace and will close at the end of business on Nov. 28.”
The full story is in the Fort Madison Daily Democrat.
Comments (7)
We all look back at the gems.Those big beautiful Downtown theatres,Or a classy drive-in.but i am afraid there will come a day that all those twins and triples will be parking places.To me they are just as important as our “FOX’S” or “TAMPA’S”.We really need to go back to smaller theatres,but that will never happen.
I’m thinking a smaller regional operator will come in and make a deal if it’s still profitable. I assume Kerasotes must have though it was still a viable operation, and I don’t think small theaters in rural neighborhoods are unprofitable if correctly run, it’s just they don’t produce the margins to warrant AMC overhead and attention, especially if they’re going to upgrade (or install) computer systems or digital projection.
Per www.amctheatres.com/welcome – this site didn’t offer online ticketing, so I don’t know if their systems are as integrated as they would be in a newer Showplace where I’m sure real time data on large popcorn sales can be relayed to Kansas City. I assume that might be an accounting headache for management – but they’re not the only small non-online ticketing – this list includes a few twins, two four-plexes, and a single screen (Kennett, MO).
An internet search reveals that another theatre in Harrisburg, IL (4 screens) is also closing and another 4-screen AMC from Kerasotes in Princeton, IL is endangered as Showplace Cinemas (not the Bros Kerasotes) is opening a new site in the same town: View link
I’m willing to bet that the rest of the aforementioned small non-Showplace locations are living on borrowed time.
Yep,you are right John.“Borrowed Time”.
And amc will strip the place bare! They won’t use any of it they do it just to insure no one could ever reopen it and ever pose them competition.
Kerasotes did exactly the same thing…This one even did a good business last year and made some decent money…but not enough for amc to “waste their time.” And likely this theater hasn’t had a facelift since Mondale was running for president. It’s a design…in the last five years of a lease they intentionally let places fall into disrepair, to train the public to go to their newer and pricier places. Then once they’re trained, shut em down and strip em out….down to tearing off sheet rock on walls! I’ve seen it many times.
It’s sad as amc and Kerasotes don’t have the vision to realize this short term cost cutting action is long term cutting of their own throat…part of why people aren’t going to the movies over netflix, etc. Now it’s not just the high prices but it’s a 30 minute drive too.
Georgia Theatres wrote the book on Stripping a theatre after they close .
I hope they don’t especially in areas where patrons claim there’s no theatre for 30-50 miles. I hope they’d do the honorable thing and sell to a local operator.
They will never do it,John.