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Topic: Sony/Loews closing 112 sites?

Larry Shaw
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 238
From: Boston, MA, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 01-23-2001 02:18 PM

Thats the rumor I just heard.....anyone know anything?

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 01-23-2001 02:35 PM

I heard that Loews is going to close the Cheri theatre in boston. This is a 4 screen classic movie theatre complete with a chandilier and everything. This theatre used to be operated by Sack Cinemas until Loews bough them out. It is a shame that they are going to close this location I alays liked it.

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I love to smoke I smoke seventhousand packs a day and I'm never F*&ing quittin!-- Denis Leary

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-23-2001 03:14 PM

I'm surprised that _anyone_ would think that the Cheri was decent. Admittedly, the "big" house (#1) has something like 700 seats and is the place to go for "big" movies on opening night which must be seen with a large crowd. Otherwise, that theatre was kind of a dump. Even the big house had a smallish screen and no curtains and the interior didn't seem to get the maintenance that it should have...

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 01-23-2001 03:32 PM

Scott,
Maybe I mispoke, I like the Cheri and I think that a lot could be done with it. My current boss is a former manager of that location and he told me that Loews told him not to fix anything unless it had to be fixed and that they didnt care. Maybe it will be a good thing if Loews closes the Cheri then maybe someone else will buy it and put some $$$ and work into it.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-23-2001 05:19 PM

I liked the Cheri. It was where I used to go in my college days. That's the one that has the "wing" on the right hand side of the auditorium, right? I thought that was cool. We used to sneak in beers and stuff and go hide back there.

I could imagine that somebody else might take over the place but you gotta' remember there's a big indoor mall pretty much right across the street from there. There's another theatre in there. They might figure there's too much competition. I dunno...

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Scott Madsen
Film Handler

Posts: 58

Registered: Oct 1999

posted 01-23-2001 06:38 PM

It's true. They are closing 112 sites/675 screens..23% of screen count.

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Colin Wiseley
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 123
From: Blacksburg, VA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-23-2001 06:59 PM

Hey, anyone know where all of the equipment goes when a chain closes a lot of theaters all at one time like this. It seems like a good time for great deals on equipment for parts and home theater.

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Colin Wiseley
Lyric Theatre
Blacksburg, VA
www.thelyric.com

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John Eickhof
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 588
From: Wendell, ID USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 01-23-2001 07:52 PM

I am afraid it is true! I got closure notice on all 20 screens in Boise ID, (3 6-plexes, 1, twin-that closed three weeks ago) Most of the older CO (Cineplex Odeon) theatres have equipment that was financed and is still collateral to CCFC (Coca Cola Finance Co.)Thus most equipment and other FF&Es that CCFC financed will stay at this time. I do not know what will happen after these sites are vacated, I would suppose in some markets,
theatres will be available for lease. However, at this point, I can say that with the loss of these screens in my area, the year 2001 is going to be a little more depressing! I feel bad for the many fine employees that will be on the streets soon!
According to the Sacramento Bee in Cal. today, this size-down is tho attempt to prevent bankruptcy by Loews/Cineplex.

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John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-23-2001 07:56 PM

That depends on a lot of things...

Some companies I know often "reabsorb" old equipment by taking old, junky equipment out and replacing it with the stuff from the shut-down theatre. Other times it's either junked or sold off to someone who's willing to pay for it and cart it away.

Depends on who you know, the people involved in the company, what mood they are in and why they are closing the place down.

ie: If they are closing down but don't want competition, they might junk everything. (As we have seen before.)

Essentially, you gotta' know who to know and when to ask. Mostly a luck thing...

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 01-23-2001 09:11 PM

On local tv channel 7 today on the 5 oclock news they said that any Cineplex theater older than 15 years would be closed.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 01-24-2001 07:01 AM

Any of our Canadian members know what C/O is doing up here with closings?

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2001 08:13 AM

Sean--I agree that the Cheri has "potential." I just think that in its current form the physical building has suffered from lack of maintenance. There's a card in the lobby somewhere that explains where the lobby chandelier came from (some Loews theatre in New York, I think). I do like the marquee at the Cheri, although there are often lots of burned-out lightbulbs on it.

Most of the theatres in the Boston area are pretty lousy. The one with the most potential to be made into something nice is probably the LCE Harvard Square theatre (aka University Theatre). Since the #1 (original) screen is still intact, the balcony (since made into two screens) could be restored to its original form pretty easily and the two "backstage" shoebox screens could be restored to storage closets.

Not like this will ever happen, though...the thought of converting a 5-screen theatre back into a single is probably enough to send chills up the spine of the accountant types. (Not that there's anything wrong with accountants, but they often seem to fail to recognize actions which will increase profitability over the long term in favor of short-term growth.)

The LCE Copley Square theatre (across from the Cheri) is a _real_ dump...it's more like a collection of screening rooms than a theatre...

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2001 05:20 PM

So far the canadian closeing are older obsolete complexes which makes sense you can't in this day and age expect a older slopped floor theatre to be competative against a more efficient large plex

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 01-24-2001 05:40 PM

Confirmed: http://biz.yahoo.com/apf/010123/united_art.html

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2001 05:41 PM

Also confirmed by today's Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37542-2001Jan23.html

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