Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 30 years in the movie biz

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-14-2009, 05:38 PM:

Today, March 14, marks my 30th anniversary as a theatre owner.

On this day in 1979, my brother-in-law Tom and I bought the Roxy. Our first movie as owners was a four-wall promo called "Rivals" which I have absolutely no memory of, but the next week we played the Clint Eastwood smash hit "Every Which Way But Loose" and were thoroughly convinced we were going to get rich. Of course reality set in soon after.

The biggest changes we made included booking more aggressively; we went from playing movies 8 to 12 months or more after release, to playing them within 8 weeks or less. We also changed the concession stand, adding more drink sizes. We also added ICE, which amazingly was not offered until we took over. Business was good enough that we were able to automate the booth in 1980, remodel the lobby in 1981 and put in new seats in '82, and a lot of other projects since.

Our original plan was to fix up the theatre and sell it for a profit. The first part of the plan took effect, but the second part never did...I'm part of the furniture now! Tom sold me his half of the business in 1992 and things continue to go well. So we plan to be around in the digital age...I can't imagine retiring from the business, although my wife might have other ideas!

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 03-14-2009, 05:40 PM:

Congratulations on 30 years of keeping the single screen faith, Mike!! Long may you run!!

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 03-14-2009, 05:56 PM:

Mike, congrats to you! I always enjoy your posts about your theatre. You always have very warm comments and pics of your theatre as well as your staff. You always treat them with respect.

You're a diamond in the vast sea of coal.

Keep your GREAT philosophy and outlook. Not ALL kids are bad apples as you have proved! [Smile]

PS: I always think of you when I see a train video or story... [Wink]

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 03-14-2009, 06:20 PM:

Congratulations from this lump of coal Mike. I feel a twinge of envy as I ache to get back into ownership.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-14-2009, 07:12 PM:

Congrats

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-14-2009, 07:18 PM:

Yes, my congrats! When you're in the right place, it's truly a fun occupation to have.

But, isn't that the main goal in the first place - to have fun what you're doing? If you're not having fun what you're doing, then it IS work and just a job.

(Why I've almost spent ((come September)) 40 yrs in this field .. tonnage of fun as a whole..tonnage of memories to share)

-Monte

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 03-14-2009, 07:26 PM:

Congrats

Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 03-14-2009, 09:02 PM:

Good on you Mike. As a single screen operator since 1968, we know that the first 30 years are the hardest.

But you can’t retire. You do as we do and put everything back into the business.

Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 03-14-2009, 09:57 PM:

Congratulations Mike!

Like Phil said, I enjoy your posts here and the respect you give your staff. It says a lot for your management style that your employees keep coming back! There is a reason you are still going strong after 30 years, and from your posts I can clearly see it's just great management.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-20-2009, 03:49 AM:

Congratulations to you and your wife, Mike.

Treasures of the business to be sure.

[thumbsup]

Posted by Tony L. Hernandez (Member # 3524) on 03-24-2009, 09:42 PM:

Congrats, Mike! That's wonderful! I've visited your website and it looks like you have a real treasure there; thanks for keeping it as a single screen!

Too bad someone wasn't around 30 years ago to inform you that there is hardly such a things as buying a theater and reselling it a while later. Once this business gets in your blood, it NEVER goes away!

Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 03-27-2009, 11:52 PM:

Congrats Mike! Boy how time flies!! I am proud to know you and Lynn, and to have had the opportunity to visit and maintain the Roxy. It is a reel 'gem' !!! Plus, aside from the Colfax Theatre in Colfax Cal., The Rose in Glendive and a couple others that I'm getting too old to remember the names, It's the only other one I have serviced that has a 'bird's eye' view of a mainline railroad from the booth!!! Gotta love those trains!!

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 03-28-2009, 06:11 PM:

HIP, HIP Horray !
Many happy returns - and may many happy days follow ;-)
So many years on the same spot in this business means either, that You are good at adapting, or that You need quite some time to figure out, what's going on around You... OMG: -I've been here for 36 years now ! [beer]

Per