OCTOBER 2008: AROUND THE STATE
NO REEL IMPROVEMENT
STATEWIDE
Independently run theaters that charge less than the big boys
don’t seem to be reaping the benefits of more moviegoers
with less cash to spend in the down economy.
“We’re dealing with the same costs as larger
theaters, but we can’t afford to raise our prices,”
says Andrew McElderry, owner of Skylight Theatre and
Andrew’s Pizza in Hood River. Tickets at the Skylight
range from $2.50 to $8.50.
Those costs, McElderry says, include the rising prices of
commodities, such as corn. “Things like popcorn, for
example, are costing us a lot more money,” he says.
Popcorn, a major source of revenue for the small theater
industry, is something Tom Ranieri, owner and operator of
Cinema 21 in Portland, knows a little about.
“Concessions certainly are a huge part of our
business,” Ranieri says. “People have shown that
they’re willing to spend an enormous amount on
concessions.” A movie with food at major theater chains
can cost upward of $20. At Ranieri’s theater, moviegoers
can save about $8-$10 on an evening out.
There has been some concern about the future of the
small-theater business, “but there’s no way to
project how it will turn out,” says McElderry. “All
bets are off.”
If you’re a small-theater, how do you compete?
“Good programming,” says Ranieri. “People
will look at the value of the film and decide for
themselves.”
CHRIS MILLER
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