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Closings
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September 14, 2017
Malibu, CA - Customers bid farewell to Malibu movie theater at final show
From the Malibu Surfside News: All good things must come to an end.
The Regal Malibu Twin Theater played its last show Sunday, Sept. 10, saddening many and causing some to reflect on how important the theater had been to their families over the years.
The theater opened in 1972 as a single screen cinema. Hollywood Theaters reopened it as a twin movie house following renovations in November 2006, according to cinematreasures.org/theaters. In 2013, it was taken over by the Regal Entertainment Group whose favorable lease expired at the end of 2016. Since then, the theater has been on a month-to-month lease and its vitality has been in peril.
“I feel very sad about it closing,” Stella Allan said. “I’ve been coming here for more than 20 years. It’s nice to have a local theater to come to. It will definitely be missed.”
Some locals made sure to see the theater out, taking in the very last movie, reminiscing about old times and noting how its loss diminished the sense of community.
“We came to pay homage to the theater,” David Olan said. “We have a lot of good memories of the theater. I used to bring my son here. We saw Star Wars two weekends in a row. It’s sad to lose it. It was one of the simple things in life.”
Others remembered special moments at the theater.
“I saw my first 3-D movie at this theater,” Mary Russyniak recalled.
Malibu City Councilmember Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner bought the very last movie tickets and popcorn. He reflected on the significance of the theater closing.
“I am sorry to see such a tradition leave Malibu,” he said. “We’re losing so many traditions and the millennials are missing out on socializing instead of always being on 2-inch screens.”
The economic repercussions of the theater closing concerned some.
“I feel so sad about this,” Candace Brown said. “I hope all of the employees have jobs.”
In an internet age of Netflix, Hulu and similar platforms, many movie theaters are threatened.
“It’s sad to see the theater go,” said Barbara Bruderlin, president of the Malibu Chamber of Commerce. “I enjoyed going to the movies and eating popcorn. The Chamber wants to thank the theater for all the years it had here in Malibu and to wish everyone at the theater the best in whatever endeavors they pursue next.”
Like many a movie that played in the theater over the years, this story did not end as many would have liked.
It is unclear what the property manager Jamestown has in store for the space.
What is clear is that for all who came to see the theater’s last performance, as the credits rolled for the last time, the end of an era happened in Malibu.
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Lyons, WI - Showboat movie theater shuts down
From the Lake Geneva Regional News: The Showboat movie theater complex has abruptly closed its doors, after providing Lake Geneva movie goers with big-screen entertainment for 20 years.
The six-screen theater at 2565 State Road 120 in the town of Lyons ceased operations Sept. 5, with a sign posted in the theater’s front window that reads “temporarily closed.”
A similar message was posted on the business Facebook page: “We are temporarily closed, sorry for any inconvenience.”
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July 25, 2017
Hanford, CA - Metro 4 Cinemas to close
From the Hanford Sentinel: On July 31, The Metro 4 Cinemas will screen its last film.
The closing was announced on the theater’s Facebook page on Friday: “We are very sorry to be announcing that we will be closing The Metro 4 Cinemas. We’ve enjoyed serving you over the past 10 years and thank you for the loyalty you have shown.”
Some patrons of the theater may be in shock and disbelief, but signs on the doors confirm that the theater is indeed closing.
Culver Theatres opened the Metro 4 in 1983. In 2007, the owners of the building turned operations over to North American Cinemas, who gave it a $50,000 renovation that included upgraded projectors, sound and concessions.
North American Cinemas later became Santa Rosa Entertainment Group, the same company that owns Sierra Vista Cinemas 16 in Clovis.
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June 7, 2017
Seattle, WA - Guild 45th, Seven Gables movie theaters closed indefinitely
From The Seattle Times: Seattle moviegoers just got two fewer choices: Two of the three remaining Landmark Theaters in Seattle closed abruptly this week. A notice on the Landmark website announced “The Seven Gables and Guild 45th have closed. Please stay tuned for future details on our renovation plans for each location.” The Crest Cinema Center, the third Landmark theater here, remains open.
Landmark’s national director of publicity, Laine Kaplowitz, contacted via email, was unable to provide any additional detail other than the above statement.
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Madison, NJ - Historic Madison movie theater closes
From the Madison Eagle: Madison Cinema 4, the historic movie theater at 4 Lincoln Place, unexpectedly closed following the Memorial Day weekend.
A representative from Saxum Real Estate Group, which bought the historic building housing the movie theater in February, confirmed that Bow Tie Cinemas chose to terminate its lease on Monday, May 29. By Wednesday, May 30, the movie theater chain had moved out of the historic building, the representative said.
The representative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to comment on why the chain stopped leasing the space in the theater.
Bow Tie Cinemas was leasing the theater from Parsippany-based Madison Movie Development on a monthly basis. The theater occupied the first floor of the 11,000-sq-ft building two-story historic building. An upper floor facing Lincoln Place was unoccupied, Mayor Robert Conley said.
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May 24, 2017
Schuyler, NE - Movie theater closing for summer
From the Schuyler Sun: The Schuyler Enrichment Foundation has decided to close the Colfax Theatre for the summer following the Memorial Day weekend show on Sunday and reopen the doors on Labor Day weekend.
This decision was made because of a lack of attendance and difficulty in getting weekend managers and volunteers during the summer.
Attendance at the theater has declined through the years and the cost to show movies has increased since the theater opened more than 10 years ago. If attendance does not increase when the theater reopens in the fall, the Enrichment Foundation may close the doors permanently.
During the summer, the foundation will be optimistically planning for the future of the Colfax Theatre. Deep cleaning will be done, plans for additional use of the theater will be explored and possible schedule changes will be looked at.
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May 19, 2017
New York, NY - Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema on Lower East Side will close next year
From Curbed NY: New York City is about to lose another independent cinema. Rumors have been swirling for years that Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema on East Houston Street would be redeveloped, and now, the New York Post reports that it’s a done deal. According to the paper, developers East End Capital and K Property Group closed a $31.5 million deal for the movie theater, with plans to redevelop it into “a mixed-use development with retail and upstairs office space.”
Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema opened in 2001 in a building that had served as a theater for more than a century, first for vaudeville acts and then for film screenings. But the theater has been in trouble for a few years now, and was dealt a blow in 2012 when the local community board voted against a plan that would have allowed the cinema to serve food and drinks.
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March 24, 2017
James Island, SC - James Island movie theater closes abruptly for good
From Live5News.com: One of James Island’s oldest movie theaters is closed to the public for good, according to the Assistant Manager of the theater.
Carmike James Island 8 located off Central Park Road showed its last films to movie goers Thursday night.
“We got the info that yesterday was our last day,” said the assistant manager who identified himself as Charles.
According to the Carmike theater website, which is a subsidy of AMC theaters, there are no show times listed for the theater this weekend. Show times on Fandango are not listed either.
“There was a lot of background chaos that went on,” Charles said.
City of Charleston documents show the property was sold to a developer to build a multi-family apartment complex.
At a Design Review Board meeting earlier this month, the renderings were denied based on comments from the board regarding building placement and setback from Central Park Road and Up on the Hill Road.
Messages for comment from AMC Theaters management was not immediately returned.
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March 9, 2017
Greenport, NY - After 44 years, it’s the end for Fairview Cinema 3
From the Register-Star: Fairview Plaza Cinema 3 has been a go-to destination for movie fans for 44 years, but despite all of his efforts to keep it open, owner Bruce Mitchinson has decided to close the theater. The theater will continue to show the Oscar-nominated film “Lion” until closing day March 19, but Mitchinson is working on bringing in other films to make the last weekend special, he said. “I’m going to miss my loyal customers, but it is just not feasible to continue,” he said. Mitchinson was born and raised in Hudson, graduating from Hudson High School and then attending Columbia-Greene Community College and graduating in 1972. From there, he planned to go into accounting, but got a summer job as manager at the old Hudson Studio Theater, which was located on upper Fairview Avenue where the Walmart Supercenter is, he said. From that point he never left the theater business, Mitchinson said. He is the third generation to get into the movie theater business. His grandmother worked in the box office at the Playhouse Theatre, which was on Warren Street, and his father was a longtime projectionist, working in several theaters in Hudson, including the Community Theatre, Warren Theater and The Strand, as well as in Kingston, he said. Mitchinson would hang out in the projection room while his father was working, he said. Brandt Theaters owned Hudson Studio and was then bought out by the Klein brothers, who also owned several area drive-ins, Mitchinson said. While still managing the Hudson Studio, he took over management of Cinema 3, “going back and forth between theaters” he said. Hudson Studio closed over 20 years ago. Mitchinson took over ownership of Cinema 3 18 years ago and had been running three screens until four years ago, when movie theaters were mandated to go digital, he said. Customers and Friends of Cinema 3 held a fundraiser to help the theater upgrade, but he was only able to purchase one digital projector, he said. This meant the theater went from operating three screens to one. Some years ago, Mitchinson also started showing more independent films. Operating one digital screen and tougher competition made it hard on the theater, he said. “The conversion to digital projection was particularly difficult for many independent movie theaters and [Cinema 3 has] essentially been operating as a single screen for a couple of years now,” said Fred Ulrich, board president of Chatham Film Club, which owns and operates the Crandell Theatre in Chatham. “We can relate to the unique programming challenges that a single screen presents.” “There is also a change in the movie industry and people are watching in different ways,” Mitchinson said. The industry is also “closing the window down,” meaning many movies are available before they are out of the theaters, he added. “It’s difficult to compete.” Another factor in his decision to close is his lease, which expired close to three years ago, Mitchinson said. He was unable to renegotiate a renewal with Fairview Plaza owners and has been operating month to month. The plaza owners will decide what to do with the space, he said. Tia Marx from Trinity Realty Group, the property manager of Fairview Plaza, said it is “too soon to say anything about the space.” The space is 8,000 square feet and is for lease, according to a flyer posted on the company’s website. Anyone interested in learning more about it can call Meredith Poole at 518-429-5093. Mitchinson’s staff was small but loyal and included Doreen Baretsky and Cathy Draffin working concessions and Ralph Jordan, the longtime theater manager, he said. “He made it easy for me,” Mitchinson said of Jordan, who retired last year. Hudson Movieplex owner Kevin Mullin called Mitchinson a gentleman, saying he “never viewed him as competition,” but rather “complementary” to business. Mullin made Mitchinson an offer a year and a half ago to buy him out, he said. Today, Hudson Movieplex 8 is looking into the possibility of expanding its space in Columbia Center. Time & Space Limited founder Linda Mussmann, a neighbor and friend of Mitchinson, didn’t see Cinema 3 as a competitor to her Hudson space, she said. “We never tried to upstage or compete,” she said, adding that TSL shows alternative films and independent films not shown mainstream. Mussmann said in general, people likely patronized both businesses. “People who love movies will go anywhere,” she said. Mitchinson is dedicated to cinema and the movies, Mussmann said. “He certainly loved what he did.” “It is sad to see another theater go, but it may draw people up from Hudson to Chatham,” said Annie Brody, executive director of Chatham Film Club. The Crandell is “very strong, membership is strong, FilmColumbia is strong,” she said. “The Chatham Film Club remains committed to keeping the Crandell Theatre open and showing movies year-round,” Ulrich said. “On a personal level, as a film lover, I am disappointed that this will leave only two dedicated movie theaters in Columbia County,” he said. Once the theater closes March 19, Mitchinson will work on liquidating the contents of the theater, he said. After that, he said he has no immediate plans. This is “kind of dramatic because I haven’t done anything else but this,” he said. “I’m going to take it one step at a time.” Mitchinson said he will announce plans for the final weekend on the theater website, www.fairviewcinema3.com, and in his regular newspaper ad.
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Hillard, OH - Movie Tavern Closing Mill Run Location in Hilliard
From Columbus Underground: After exactly one decade of showing films to the dine-and-watch crowd, Movie Tavern is turning off the lights at their Hilliard location at 3773 Ridge Mill Drive at Mill Run. Fans of the theater have just one more month to catch a movie there before it closes.