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Date: 6/3/2020
WESTERN MASS – It’s been a difficult time for many small businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of non-essential establishments, including those in entertainment industries.
Independent cinemas, of which there are a few in the Pioneer Valley, have found creative ways to stay afloat, despite not being able to show movies to packed crowds. The Agawam Cinemas are generating revenue through another movie theater tradition - concessions.
Kimberly Wheeler, owner of the Agawam Cinemas for the past six years, said the theater has begun selling curbside concessions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The snacks are standard movie theater fare, including popcorn, nachos, soft pretzels and slushies. A new addition to the theater, Wheeler said she never knew slushies were so popular. The response to the no-contact service has been very positive, she said.
“We’ve got a lot of hell-bent customers,” who are committed to supporting the theater, said Wheeler.
To the north, at the Amherst Cinema, patrons can still purchase tickets to movies. They just don’t play at the theater.
Instead, patrons access films on the “virtual cinema” page of Amherst Cinema’s website and the customer is taken to the film distributor’s website to buy the “ticket” and watch the movie.
“The cost of the digital ‘ticket’ is split between the film distributor and Amherst Cinema - just like when you but a ticket at the box office,” explains the Amherst Cinema website.
“It’s a pretty significant change in the experience,” General Manager George Myers said, adding that it’s not meant to replace the in-person experience. Instead, it is a temporary way to view independent films, in which the nonprofit theater specializes.
The virtual cinema program was up and running less than two weeks after the physical theater was forced to close on March 13.
Myers said that the revenue from the virtual cinema has been “really modest” but it has served as a way to keep in touch with their patrons.
“Ticket sales make up only about 50 percent of our revenue,” Meyers said. The remaining revenue is raised through Amherst Cinema’s 6,000 members and donations.
Theaters are in phase three of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan for the state, but some theaters may not even reopen then. Myers said he knows of some independent cinemas that have decided not to reopen due to the logistics of keeping people safe in buildings that are designed to sit hundreds of people side by side. Amherst Cinemas is planning to reopen, however, it is waiting for guidance from officials.
“We want to keep people safe and be responsible members of the community,” Meyers said.
Wheeler said that even if she were allowed to open tomorrow, there wouldn’t be many movies to show. Many movie releases have been pushed back due to the coronavirus, she explained. Instead, Agawam Theaters is going to be focusing on private events for the short-term, including birthdays and graduation parties.
“My goal is to give [customers] a safe, comfortable place to have their events,” Wheeler said.
When Agawam Cinemas does begin showing movies again, Wheeler expects there to be some changes in seating and showtimes to make social distancing possible. Even buying the tickets will change.
“We’re fortunate, we’re old enough that we have one of those [standalone] ticket windows,” Wheeler said. “We’ve never really used it, but I’m so glad we have it now.” She said it will keep crowds from gathering in the lobby before showtime.
Similarly, Myers said Amherst Cinema is currently looking at best practices from states that have already reopened.
The Agawam Cinemas are located at 866 Suffield St., in the Southgate Plaza, Agawam, and agawamcinemas.org.The Amherst Cinema is located at 28 Amity St. in Amherst and amherstcinema.org.