For those of you who have not heard, the Cinema 150 has been purchased by an outfit out of Missouri and is to be torn down. There was an attempt by a woman in Little Rock to revamp the theater, but she was unsuccessful. It’s a sad day in theater history!!
I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my face two years after the closing of a monument. I remember that night all too well! Memorial Day weekend 2003. On Monday we got a phone call from corporate because they didn’t believe our numbers could possibly be correct. They didn’t believe we had that many supporters on closing night. With VERY little notice, we still had people come from all over to say goodbye to the best movie theater in the world, and many, many more phone calls the following few days as we cleaned the building out. I have been in MANY theaters during my time as a manager, and to this day I have never seen a better presentation.
I read the article that was posted in The Arkansas Democrat Gazette and I’m angry now. The 150 did not close down due to the Rave. People went to the Rave when the 150 was sold out for big movies. For the smaller stuff, yeah they might have gone there, but they were going there instead of Breckenridge because the customer service was terrible. The 150 only showed one movie at a time and usually for 3 to 4 weeks. They didn’t have any other option. Regal with their lack of concern and abundant greed (the theater was making a profit – just not the multi-millions that the megaplexes do – it had ONE screen for Heaven’s sake) is what killed the Cinema 150. They finally had a team of employees there who actually cared about the facility and they chose not to listen.
If it had to close, it was appropriate for the doors to close on Memorial Day Weekend. Because while Corporate America can and forever will place quantity above quality, the Cinema 150 will remain forever in the memories and hearts of those who were blessed by the presentation the theater had to offer.
To my staff and to my patrons. Thank you for some of the best memories a person could have!
For those of you who have not heard, the Cinema 150 has been purchased by an outfit out of Missouri and is to be torn down. There was an attempt by a woman in Little Rock to revamp the theater, but she was unsuccessful. It’s a sad day in theater history!!
I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my face two years after the closing of a monument. I remember that night all too well! Memorial Day weekend 2003. On Monday we got a phone call from corporate because they didn’t believe our numbers could possibly be correct. They didn’t believe we had that many supporters on closing night. With VERY little notice, we still had people come from all over to say goodbye to the best movie theater in the world, and many, many more phone calls the following few days as we cleaned the building out. I have been in MANY theaters during my time as a manager, and to this day I have never seen a better presentation.
I read the article that was posted in The Arkansas Democrat Gazette and I’m angry now. The 150 did not close down due to the Rave. People went to the Rave when the 150 was sold out for big movies. For the smaller stuff, yeah they might have gone there, but they were going there instead of Breckenridge because the customer service was terrible. The 150 only showed one movie at a time and usually for 3 to 4 weeks. They didn’t have any other option. Regal with their lack of concern and abundant greed (the theater was making a profit – just not the multi-millions that the megaplexes do – it had ONE screen for Heaven’s sake) is what killed the Cinema 150. They finally had a team of employees there who actually cared about the facility and they chose not to listen.
If it had to close, it was appropriate for the doors to close on Memorial Day Weekend. Because while Corporate America can and forever will place quantity above quality, the Cinema 150 will remain forever in the memories and hearts of those who were blessed by the presentation the theater had to offer.
To my staff and to my patrons. Thank you for some of the best memories a person could have!