By CHRIS COLLINS
(Photo courtesy of the Garden Cinemas)
(Greenfield, MA) — Greenfield’s Garden Cinemas will be closing for the winter.
Owners Isaac and Angela Mass said they plan to close the Main Street theater after its final shows Sunday, January 10th, unless ordered to sooner by the Governor. The Garden will be closed until March or April when Covid-19 vaccination is more widespread and the studio distribution calendar has stabilized.
Isaac Mass said the cinema business is seasonal, with the bulk of revenue generated from Memorial Day through July and Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. While the cinema has seen a slight uptick for Wonder Woman 1984, Mass says it remains at 10 percent of seasonal expectations.
“January and February are traditionally the worst months for the theater industry” Isaac Mass said. “At 10% of last year’s revenue we would not be able to meet payroll, much less pay the $6,000+ heating bill each month.”
Mass says the theater will not do a GoFundMe, “There are a lot more important causes for people to give to right now.” Those who want to help the theater can buy a hat, t-shirt, or poster at the theater. Mass says up to January 10th we will still be showing movies and selling concessions and will run popcorn out to people’s cars if they call at 413-773-9260. Gift cards and streaming art films are still available at gardencinemas.net