Cincinnati small theater operators try to stay afloat amid pandemic
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Updated: 6:38 PM EDT Apr 23, 2021
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Updated: 6:38 PM EDT Apr 23, 2021
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RE-EMERGE STARTING NOW YOU CAN ADD KENWOOD THEATER TO THE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL LIST. THEY’RE GONNA HAVE FREE MOVIES ALL WEEK THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY. THEY’RE SHOWING SOME CLASSIC MOVIES LIKE TWISTER GOONIES SHOW UP AT THE BOX OFFICE FIRST COME FIRST SERVED JUST AS WITH THE ESQUIRE IN CLIFTON PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS REMAIN IN PLACE. WE STILL HAVE THINGS ROPED OFF EVERY OTHER ROW IS BLOCKED OFF AND WE’RE DOING ABOUT A THIRD OF CAPACITY MANAGER JOHNNY SHANKS SENSES THE START OF A COMEBACK. DESPITE THEATER CLOSINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE THE MOVIE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN DOWN ABOUT 80% IN THE LAST YEAR EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC INDEPENDENCE LIKE CINCINNATI WORLD CINEMA WERE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF FLUX AND ADJUSTMENT AND SINCE THEN THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN MAGNIFIED WITH FIXED EXPENSES OVERHEAD AND REVENUE THAT’S LITTLE TO NONE. THIS SMALL BUSINESS IS TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT. YOU FIND NO MEGAPLEX SCREENS HERE KONG VERSUS GODZILLA WILL PROBABLY SAVE SOMEBODY’S BACON. FOR THOSE OF US ON THE INDEPENDENT ART HOUSE SIDE, IT’S NOT THAT CLEAR JOHN AND ACTUALLY THE RESULTS RESIDE WITH THE PATRONS IN TERMS OF THEIR COMFORT LEVELS IN ATTENDING ANYTHING INDOORS LIKE A MOVIE THEATER KENWOOD BELIEVES FREE ADMISSION FOR ITS REOPENING WEEK WILL BE TOO ENTICING TO PASS UP FOR NOW. YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO KEEP YOUR MASK ON IN THE AND REMAIN DISTANT BUT LIKE MARQUIS THINGS ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME HOLLYWOOD IS FEELING PRETTY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE’LL BE ABLE TO GET SOME GOOD BUSINESS BACK BY SUMMERTIME. AND ONE WOULD THINK THERE’S PROBABLY NOTHING LIKE FREE MOVIE TICKETS TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN THE MOOD OF GOING TO THE MOVIES ON A FRIDAY NIGHT INDEPENDENT THEATER OPERATOR TIM SWALLOWS THAT YOU HEARD FROM THERE EXPECTS A SLOW YEAR OVERALL UNLESS HE SAYS THOSE VACCINATION RATES REALLY DOUBLE AT SOME POINT. SU