Dexter Cinema: Survivng COVID-19

TRYING TO SURVIVE THROUGH COVID-19

The Dexter Cinema has been a staple business in the community of Dexter for over 40 years, providing entertainment to generations of individuals from Dexter and the surrounding area. In early 2020, the cinema faced the possibility of permanent closure, but was purchased by Chris and Alysa Costin in late Feb 2020. The cinema immediately saw improvements, including new flooring and updated seats in the auditoriums to create a cleaner and more comfortable environment for its patrons. Just five days after reopening, COVID-19 began sweeping the country and forced the cinema to temporarily close its doors. Even after re-opening in late June 2020, the cinema has suffered a continuous revenue loss of approximately 90% compared to what would be considered normal. Further, the exhibition industry continues to see delays in movie release dates, creating a particularly challenging environment for the generation of sufficient revenue to stay afloat. The cinema needs help to survive the pandemic and make it through this incredibly challenging time; thus, the owners are humbly seeking help to make it through to the other side of this pandemic and all funds raised will be used strictly for the cinemas operating expenses to keep it open and functioning until the motion picture exhibition industry enters the recovery stage.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In March of 2020, just days after the cinema reopened under new ownership, COVID-19 restrictions forced the cinema to temporarily close its doors. During this time, the cinema began selling to-go popcorn at the cinema and at local out-door markets to try to make up for some lost revenue, but the overhead costs continued to roll in. After three months, the cinema was able to reopen its doors and show classic films with a few new releases here and there at a seating capacity of only 25%, following suggested COVID-19 guidelines. Since its June 2020 re-opening, the cinema has experienced a continuous revenue loss of approximately 90% compared to what would be considered normal for a cinema of this size and nature. Furthermore, the continued delays of theatrical release dates further pain the cinema and other cinemas nationwide.

Due to the purchase date of the cinema and lack of revenue and operations history under Dexter Cinema LLC, the cinema was unable to receive any direct federal government funding (i.e., EIDL or PPP) to supplement lost revenue and the cinema will also have trouble applying for the Save our Stages funding due to a lack of revenue history and its opening date time frame. However, the cinema was fortunate to receive some reimbursement funding through the county from the CARES Act during the months of August-December 2020, but the money was quickly depleted by back-rent and other expenses that had accumulated over the prior months.

Attendance has been as low as 30 patrons per weekend, which has forced to cinema to adjust its operation hours to weekends only and has forced the cinema to reduce its manpower by over half. With expenses stacking up, much needed maintenance to equipment, and very little revenue coming in, the cinema is in trouble.

The Dexter Cinema is a great place for date nights, family fun, or just an afternoon or night away from home at the movies and the new ownership has put a lot of work into trying to ensure the cinema maintains a comfortable, clean atmosphere to relax and enjoy a movie, but without help, it is possible that the cinema will not survive the pandemic, which is why this GoFundMe has been started, to help see that the cinema in business long after COVID-19.

THE DEXTER CINEMA STORY

The Dexter Twin Cinema, originally known at the Town & Country Cinema (Cinema 1 &2) was opened on February 4, 1977 under the ownership of Kerasotes Theatres and the management of Clyde Costin, the late grandfather of the current owner. The cinema thrived through the late 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s until the passing of Clyde in 2008, and closure of the cinema by Kerasotes Theaters followed in 2009. The cinema was purchased by Pollack Cinema LLC out of Paragould AR in 2009 and was reopened. In late 2009, Chris Costin (current owner) began working in management of the cinema with several years of experience in the industry and became the theater manager in 2010 and remained manager through the remainder of its operations under Pollack Cinema. In the spring of 2013, the cinema experienced a major upgrade to digital projection, which included a completely renovated state of the art projection booth, new screens, and new sound equipment, all of which remain in operation today. As previously stated, Chris Costin, along with his wife Alysa, purchased the cinema in early 2020, at which time the cinema began seeing upgrades, including new auditorium flooring and updated seating. Many other upgrade plans have been made, but everything has been halted by COVID-19 and the focus has been shifted to seeing the cinema’s survival through the pandemic.  

The Dexter Cinema has entertained generations of guests and is quickly approaching its 44th anniversary in hopes to see far beyond and continue to provide quality entertainment for years to come.