Kingsway Theatre
3030 Bloor Street W,
Toronto,
ON
M8X 1C4
3030 Bloor Street W,
Toronto,
ON
M8X 1C4
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 52 comments
Yes it is a Toronto rep theatre, I was thinking of the Paradise.
I don’t suppose it’s a Toronto repertory theatre is it?
Hello Everyone,
I am in the extreme early stages of creating a business plan for a theatre and was wondering if anyone had any ideas or advice for me as I know very little about this sort of thing (running a film theatre).
Thanks,
Paige
I am saddened that the Kingsway is still closed, but I have good news regarding the Revue. The Revue Cinema has been purchased by a local couple who has agreed to lease it to the Revue Film Society (the Save the Revue people). We are expecting to have the Revue up and running by the end of the summer. You can read all about it at http://www.revuecinema.ca
Sometimes the good guys DO win!
Keith Denning
Revue Film Society
Hi,
Something exciting is going on here in Toronto. See the article link below. Could this be the saviour of other cinemas? Let’s hope so!
-Dave
“The Royal Cinema, one of four neighbourhood repertory theatres that shut earlier this year after the death of the owner, has been taken over by Theatre D Digital.
The company plans to do post-production film work in four editing suites during the day and show movies in the evenings and on weekend afternoons."
View link
Hey DaveC426913,
I would be curious to find out what plans the McQuillans have for the Kingsway/Revue cinemas. Send me an e-mail(on this site) whenever you receive an answer.
I’ve sent an email to one of the McQuillans, but no response so far.
Oh, I did get an email from someone in corproate finance (I thought it was you) who was interested in helping.
Hello DaveC426913,
Any new information on the future of the Kingsway and possibly the revue cinemas.
Oh, I see. Revue and Royal were owned, but Kingsway was leased.
That could be bad news. If I understand correctly, that means that the Kingsway could have been a loss-leader. It’s loss could have been supported by the other two theatres' profits.
In which case, the Kingsway, as it was being run, might not have been breaking even at all.
Hi Dave,
I guess I forgot to mention that Festival Theatres owned both buildings that housed the Revue and Royal. That’s why they had no rent to pay.
Sorry for the confusion.
Hey DaveC426913,
I am keeping a close eye on the Savetherevue website to see what is going to become of the Revue cinema, at the moment i am not sure what will be of the cinema.
I shall contact you next time i write an e-mail.
Ooh, that’s a real bummer about the Revue. Of course, we don’t know what’s replacing it do we?
Why don’t you contact me directly by email (in my profile).
Hello DaveC426913,
I have found out from the Savetherevue community run website that the non-for-profit organization bid has been rejected and that a private bidder has submitted a bid and has been accepted.( Details have not been released yet.) Why do we need another grocery store or some type of store within the Roncessvalles area when there is more than enough stores.
This is truly upsetting, depressing for a so-called World class city as Toronto to not be able to keep its past. Recently, i have been going to view films at the Bloor and other independants because of the cost and the character of the cinema which is not a dark box that is called a cinema.
I truly hope that you are sucessful in reopening the Kingsway because there are a lot of other people who probably feel the same way as I.
“…remember they had no rent to pay at the Revue and Royal.”
Why do you say this?
Hi DaveC426013,
Unfortunately, the asking price of the monthly rent is way too high for anyone to come close to breaking even. Some of the managers of the festival theatres had hoped to re-open the theatre at a rent less than festival was paying but the owner wants more rent than festival was paying. I’m pretty sure the Kingsway was the biggest grossing of all the theatres but probably not the most profitable — remember they had no rent to pay at the Revue and Royal.
Anyway, let’s hope the rent becomes realistic and you, I, or someone
opens the Kingsway. Have you thought about the Paradise? I know the gross would be very signifcantly less but if the rent were right, the net could be better.
Sorry, I may be misleading you. I’m looking for people whose brains I can pick prior to embarking on a quest of this scope.
Hello DaveC426913,
Thanks for the consideration.
Oh, I meant running expenses and revenue. Employee wages, consumables, film rental, property costs, etc. Ultimately, I want to get all these things as ballpark numbers, add them up and see if it comes near breaking even. Until I do that, trying to start up the biz would be folly.
Hello DaveC426913,
I have worked in the food service kiosk at a major theatre chain. I, not only had the responsibility of serving guests(customers) but also had the task of accepting food deliveries and making sure that there was no shortages. I had 2 other food kiosk under my responsibility to set up and to make sure that food shipments were not short in required amount.
I also had the responsibility of setting up and running the concession stand.
What specific business operations are in question.?
(Pah! It lets me write a comment, but only afterward tells me I need to be logged in!)
Anyway, thanks! I’ve fired off an email to her.
Zeph, do you have any experience in the business operations aspect of theatres?
Hello DaveC426913,
Try Eleanor at Eleanor does not check this e-mail often so it may take a while for a response. I have worked at a major theatre chain and would be interested in finding out how i may help.
I’ve talked to the leasor. There are a couple of people interested in the building. One is considering adding live theatre to its repertoire, another is considering turning it into a grocery store!
I worked at the Kingsway back in the reopening in ‘82 with Al Rush. I helped restore the theatre and worked there for almost two years.
I am considering the possibility of reopening it myself and would be interested in talking to anyone about the business aspect – particularly the most recent manager. I should have gotten her (I think it’s a her) number before it closed!
Does anyone have any idea of the future for the Kingsway, Revue cinema. I have passed by the Kingsway cinema and noticed a “For Lease” sign on the front door, is the cinema possibly going to be changed to a restaurant or some type of store.
This is a definite loss for a world class city, Toronto, i saw Mission Impossible 3 at the Bloor cinema and nearly every person mentioned about the remaining 3 rep theatres in Toronto.
Three rep cinemas to close by end of June
May 18, 2006. 01:00 AM
Three longtime repertory cinema houses â€" the Revue, the Royal and the Kingsway â€" are slated to close by the end of June.
The theatres â€" part of the Festival Cinemas group â€" were owned by cinema entrepreneur Peter McQuillan, who died in October 2004.
Last night, his son Mark told the Star that he and his two siblings made the decision to close the theatres reluctantly.
“The heart and soul was my father. Since (his death), we have been trying our best to run (the business).
``But we don’t have the time, the energy and the financial wherewithal to keep it going,“ said McQuillan, noting difficult market conditions contributed to their decision.
“I feel bad if they are closing. We might get a few more customers but I don’t know what it says for the industry,” said Carmelo Bordonaro, owner of the Bloor Cinema.
“It’s a labour of love, these cinemas, believe me — a lot of hard work,“ Bordonaro said.
Bordonaro, a one-time partner with Peter McQuillan, said he was a “great guy.”
“He loved film, he loved cinemas and he really supported the film industry in a lot of ways. He was an amazing guy. I miss him all the time,” Bordonaro said.
Bordonaro said the entire movie industry is experiencing dramatic changes, with new films being downloaded from the Internet, DVDs being released in a shorter time period following a new film’s release at major theatres, and DVDs also being sold at big discounts.
All those factors and others are making it increasingly difficult for repertory theatres to compete and survive, he said.
It must have been two years since I’ve been to the Kingsway but revisited on October 23, 2004, to see “Collaterial”. More updates have taken place since my last visit. A much larger curved screen and digital sound have been installed. The sub run house had about 125 people in attendance for the Tom Cruise movie. Festival theatre are a nice alternative if you’re willing or able to wait a while to see the lastest releases. Unfortunately, many of todays “instant gratification generation” is not willing.