Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Do one or two screen theaters actually make money?

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Topic: Do one or two screen theaters actually make money?

Brian D. Nelson
Film Handler

Posts: 8
From: Powell River, BC, Canada
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 08-14-2005 11:46 AM

quote: Steve Guttag
You hope that the product in the good times will allow you to coast (or more truthfully, fall a bit back) in the slow times.

This is something we have learned in our first three years to present of operating. The first two years were a bit deceptive due to the 'off season' blockbusters that generated good grosses and smoothed the cyclical slump periods out. This last year not only has the normal cycle returned but the industry is soft as well, which you all know about.

In the first year, we had to address the repairs/restorations that were long overdue and cost us a lot revenue. This theater is 78 years old and has been in non-stop use as a cinema. Previous owners/management had let some things slide. If we didn't have to attend to issues as much as we have, we could be doing a lot better. It helps that we are in a small, isolated town and have the only screen so even with a small population to draw from, we don't have to contend with direct competition from other screens.

I don't have the false optimism that we will be able to earn any substantial incomes out of it eventually but the business will carry it's own burden without much outside revenue being introduced if things keep on going the way they are.

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Andrew McCrea
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 645
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-14-2005 03:43 PM

In Winnipeg, we've got a small "duplex" still operating (but maybe not for much longer because one theatre has to be closed in this city due to the takeover)... Its two screens, about 700 seats and its a Famous Players operating about 5 minutes from an 8-screen dollar house. I believe its the smallest theatre in the Famous Players chain.

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Michael Harlow
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 170
From: Faversham, Kent, UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 08-19-2005 10:23 AM

Andrew,

I have a single screen cinema here in the UK and I make money, not a huge amount but a profit nevertheless. I have 450 seats and of course much depends on the product, I am mainly Family / Arthouse films, first and second run.

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Alex Grueneberg
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Chicago, IL
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 09-06-2005 09:24 PM

So lets say there are two theaters each four screens in a very well populated area. Chicago for example. The theaters are 3 blocks apart. One is corporate (Loews) running all digital, the other is owned by a local small chain who just closed a theater farther downtown. The Loews house looks nice from the outside. Bright marquee, nice clean lobby however has all sorts of projection and presentation problems. While the though more run down much older equipped local house runs smooth (one dts theater), with out scratched or damaged prints. The local house was once a one screen, and is now a 4. It was split up in '84. The Loews house was built in the 90s, in somewhat of a small mall complex.

Does the local older house have a chance?

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