I consider it ‘endangered’ simply because it has been totally forgotten about by everyone, while plenty of attention has gone to other nearby theatres such as the Modern, Paramount, and Opera House (BF Keith Memorial). You can walk all around the building that contains it, without knowing the theatre is there. I don’t know if it’s used as a storage warehouse now, or just sits entirely empty. Some day it may just disappear by neglect.
Mike Harmen, owner for the last eight years of Stoughton Cinema Pub, told Snyder’s Stoughton Friday night (9/28) that he will be forced to close the landmark downtown site. “My new landlord Joe Banks said he’d negotiate the rent, but I can pay the rent. The utilities are what’s killing me. I was paying $2,700 a month for gas. That’s just to heat the place four hours a night. I tried closing Monday and Tuesday nights, hoping that would increase the rest of the week, but it just isn’t working.” Harmen says that it has been a labor of love for him and his wife Pauline. But, he just can’t do it anymore. “I shut down the heat. So, when it starts to get too cold in here, then I will shut the business down. Hopefully, it will stay warm, and I can keep the place open until the end of October.” Harmen, who was a part time worker for Bill Haney, the former owner of the Cinema, and Entertainment Cinemas, rose to GM of that company, which had 14 Theatres and 100 screens in four states. He said that Stoughton Cinema Pub was one of the last remaining single screen theatres anywhere. “Showcase Cinemas in Randolph ate up most of the business. Add to that people buying plasma TV’s, and On Demand services from cable, and it’s disastrous to small theatres like this one.” Harmen, who owns a vending company in Boston, and works there during the day, says he intends to expand that company and “enjoy my nights and weekends.”
Harmen says he hopes that an insulated rubber roof installed by former building owner Gerald Goulston will help him stay through the end of October. “Gerry did some good things here. The roof helped cut heating costs a bit by insulated the building from the top.” As someone who enjoyed coming to the square and catching a movie at the Cinema Pub, I will miss it. But, so will Little Theatre of Stoughton, the Independent Theatre, and Starz. Little Theatre of Stoughton, according to Director Jan Jones, is “not going anywhere out of town.” Jones says that she has negotiated with building owner Joe Banks to rent the Cinema for their holiday show in December. “A Christmas Carol is cast and in production,” she tells Snyder’s Stoughton. “We will be paying for the utilities. The agreement is drawn up and we will go there when Mike Harmen leaves. The Cinema will be shut down after our show.” Jones was unable to say where her group’s performances will be staged after December.
So, go to the theatre and take in a film before it’s too late. And, make sure you say “thanks” to Mike and Pauline. “It really was a labor of love.‘ Harmen says. "But usually the summer blockbusters provided enough 'fat’ to support us through fall and winter. Not any more. We used to have 150-175 people a night here on weekends. Now, it’s more like 45-55. It’s just not enough.” Stoughton will miss having its own one screen cinema.
What news coverage has this gotten in the local Santa Monica newspapers? (When I lived there, the papers were the daily Evening Outlook and the weekly Independent-Journal; I think they have different names now.)
I’m sure that he is legally required to have contact information at the tax assessor’s office. Someone want to go down there, copy it down, and post it here?
Nice. I still wonder why the sign says “Columbus Palace Theatre” when that is not the actual name.
It doesn’t belong on a top ten list, but probably does on a top 50:
RKO Boston (Boston, MA)
I consider it ‘endangered’ simply because it has been totally forgotten about by everyone, while plenty of attention has gone to other nearby theatres such as the Modern, Paramount, and Opera House (BF Keith Memorial). You can walk all around the building that contains it, without knowing the theatre is there. I don’t know if it’s used as a storage warehouse now, or just sits entirely empty. Some day it may just disappear by neglect.
I don’t really understand your question. The theatre is part of the 600 Washington-Essex building.
Why do you say that?
What does he plan to do to make this happen?
It was replaced by condominiums and two new live-stage theatres. There might be a restaurant as well, I’m not sure.
In the late 1970s it was an adult theatre called the Mayflower. For a short time after that, it reopened as a live stage called the Modern.
Thanks for fixing that.
This is not Washington, DC. It is Washington, North Carolina!
From “Snyder’s Stoughton” in the online Stoughton Journal, by Mark Synder, dated October 4, 2007:
Stoughton Cinema to close
Mike Harmen, owner for the last eight years of Stoughton Cinema Pub, told Snyder’s Stoughton Friday night (9/28) that he will be forced to close the landmark downtown site. “My new landlord Joe Banks said he’d negotiate the rent, but I can pay the rent. The utilities are what’s killing me. I was paying $2,700 a month for gas. That’s just to heat the place four hours a night. I tried closing Monday and Tuesday nights, hoping that would increase the rest of the week, but it just isn’t working.” Harmen says that it has been a labor of love for him and his wife Pauline. But, he just can’t do it anymore. “I shut down the heat. So, when it starts to get too cold in here, then I will shut the business down. Hopefully, it will stay warm, and I can keep the place open until the end of October.” Harmen, who was a part time worker for Bill Haney, the former owner of the Cinema, and Entertainment Cinemas, rose to GM of that company, which had 14 Theatres and 100 screens in four states. He said that Stoughton Cinema Pub was one of the last remaining single screen theatres anywhere. “Showcase Cinemas in Randolph ate up most of the business. Add to that people buying plasma TV’s, and On Demand services from cable, and it’s disastrous to small theatres like this one.” Harmen, who owns a vending company in Boston, and works there during the day, says he intends to expand that company and “enjoy my nights and weekends.”
Harmen says he hopes that an insulated rubber roof installed by former building owner Gerald Goulston will help him stay through the end of October. “Gerry did some good things here. The roof helped cut heating costs a bit by insulated the building from the top.” As someone who enjoyed coming to the square and catching a movie at the Cinema Pub, I will miss it. But, so will Little Theatre of Stoughton, the Independent Theatre, and Starz. Little Theatre of Stoughton, according to Director Jan Jones, is “not going anywhere out of town.” Jones says that she has negotiated with building owner Joe Banks to rent the Cinema for their holiday show in December. “A Christmas Carol is cast and in production,” she tells Snyder’s Stoughton. “We will be paying for the utilities. The agreement is drawn up and we will go there when Mike Harmen leaves. The Cinema will be shut down after our show.” Jones was unable to say where her group’s performances will be staged after December.
So, go to the theatre and take in a film before it’s too late. And, make sure you say “thanks” to Mike and Pauline. “It really was a labor of love.‘ Harmen says. "But usually the summer blockbusters provided enough 'fat’ to support us through fall and winter. Not any more. We used to have 150-175 people a night here on weekends. Now, it’s more like 45-55. It’s just not enough.” Stoughton will miss having its own one screen cinema.
(content reused here under WickedLocal’s Creative Commons license)
Glad to hear that, and please post here again when you know the date. The Somerville Theatre seems to be doing well with beer and wine sales.
Sorry to hear this. Why did they close? Are they still open for private rentals (as advertised on their web site)?
Should it be listed as “Closed”?
What news coverage has this gotten in the local Santa Monica newspapers? (When I lived there, the papers were the daily Evening Outlook and the weekly Independent-Journal; I think they have different names now.)
Will the name of this theatre remain the same?
Can additional floors be added above the existing theatre in order to make a development financially successful?
Will the theatre’s name remain the same?
Please come to Boston some day.
I’m sure that he is legally required to have contact information at the tax assessor’s office. Someone want to go down there, copy it down, and post it here?
Responding to an earlier comment – why is there “no way of contacting the owner”? Is he dead?
I’m sorry to hear that. Is the theatre OK and still open?
The ad says “ABC City Theatre One”. So this theatre started out with a different name?
Won’t that leave Northampton with no movie theatres at all, only live stages?
From what I’ve heard, there already isn’t much left of it…
They’d better not dump the Nuart!