[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

...
I do not understand the desire to get rid of the movie theaters in a place with maybe 150, 000 retirees who for the most part grew up going to movies in theaters.

I doubt there is animosity towards movie theaters and a desire to get rid of them. More likely (as mentioned before) there is simply not enough money to be made.

Yes, it may be cheaper to have a building sit empty rather than pay to acquire films to be shown, pay for the heating and lighting, pay for the inventory and preparation of food, and pay for the employees.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

IMO not enough of us older generation go. Younger generation (and Older) can’t get them off IPhones long enough to watch movie.

I have been to many movies here in the Villages when we had three working movie theaters and there were very few seats left.

And Wicked set a Thanksgiving box office record for movies based on Broadway plays. That is for Thanksgiving 2024.

[mraines]

Originally Posted by champion6

From the Dec. 9 Daily Sun:

Construction crews will soon begin interior demolition of the Barnstorm Building at Brownwood Paddock Square. The work will prepare the building to be leased out to a yet-to-be-determined tenant.

The building has been vacant since 2020 when the Barnstorm Theater closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, the movie theater industry has been in flux due to the rise of at-home streaming and a decline in new theatrical releases. After showing some signs of bouncing back in 2023, the U.S. box office in 2024 has fallen off by about 7% to about $7.7 billion, according to IMDb. That total is about a 25% decrease from the pre- pandemic total of $10.3 billion in 2019.

No doubt one of the Morse family friends will move in.

[Taltarzac725]

The Villages movie stats are probably very different from those of any other community in the US.

The Morses do call the shots here though. They have done a brilliant job in many respects.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

I have been to many movies here in the Villages when we had three working movie theaters and there were very few seats left.

And Wicked set a Thanksgiving box office record for movies based on Broadway plays. That is for Thanksgiving 2024.

That was than, for better or worse now, movie theaters in general not a profitable business.

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by justjim

A new Katie Belle for only Villagers and their guests. It’s the perfect building and fits with the theme of Brownwood.

Complete with free water - for the horses of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5XzJHYWN6I

Worth the watch - is that rocky and the rollers many many moons ago ?

And here is an example of how a Katie Belles could never be profitable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmWkQiXIXyY

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

That was than, for better or worse now, movie theaters in general not a profitable business.

Again. The Villages is a unique market. Epic Theaters though if they see a profit to be made will probably build a 2nd movie theater in this area. The Villages is huge and a lot of it is now south of Brownwood.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

I could agree with an ethnic restaurant (Greek or Indian would both be good) except....

- it won't be authentic
- it won't have the dishes I want to see
- it will be over priced
- it will be too spicy
- it won't be spicy enough
- it won't be as good as the restaurant back where I came from
- the only place to get good ____ food is _____

... and all of that is likely to happen before the first customer is served!

You just described the exact complaints of just about every single new (and existing) restaurant in TV...

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Again. The Villages is a unique market. Epic Theaters though if they see a profit to be made will probably build a 2nd movie theater in this area. The Villages is huge and a lot of it is now south of Brownwood.

Hear recently that Epic is not doing all that well and theater is being more and more run down.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

You just described the exact complaints of just about every single new (and existing) restaurant in TV...

Yep

[New Englander]

Even when the theaters were open, more and more people are watching movies in the comfort of their home. Big screen TV's are getting less expensive all the time and the picture quality is great.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Battlebasset

Make it a Hofbrauhaus. With 1 liter German biers, schnitzel, bratwurst, and an Oompa band. Or let Hollerbach out of Sanford open another location here.

What could go wrong?

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

A good German restaurant would also be good. Wonder why there isnt one here now?

I hope that is sarcasm, given the German restaurant about 100 feet from the theater lasted about 6 months

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I hope that is sarcasm, given the German restaurant about 100 feet from the theater lasted about 6 months

Which restaurant was that? I hope it was before my time here since I don't recall ever eating at a German restaurant in the square.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Which restaurant was that? I hope it was before my time here since I don't recall ever eating at a German restaurant in the square.

It was named "Hofbrau". The original restaurant that is located where Bluefin is now closed about 2016. Then it was the German restaurant for less than a year. Next it was "Tapas", in the Spanish style, which lasted about 1 1/2 years. Bluefin has now been there for 4+ years.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Which restaurant was that? I hope it was before my time here since I don't recall ever eating at a German restaurant in the square.

I never got to it but do remember a German restaurant at one of the Squares. Probably near the Rialto.