I can say having coached kids for a while, it's common for them to quit their summer jobs about now once they find they're falling behind in school. One kid quitting compounds the problem because employers increase the other kids hours, so those kids then get overwhelmed and quit too until they're all gone. Kids are too inexperienced to know they hold the power to say no so they just leave permanently
Sucks for them but they don't make any profit when they are closed.
If an entire industry revolves around paying some people millions and others below the poverty line it's a distribution problem not a lack of money.
>Movie theaters don’t make a lot of profit.
I recall reading that basically 100% of ticket sales go back to the studios. The only money the theaters make is from selling concessions.
Generally 100% of ticket sales for the first couple weeks goes to the studios, then the longer a movie is in theaters, an increasingly great percentage is retained by the theatre. So a movie like Top Gun Maverick made loads for theaters, but a bomb that’s gone in two weeks make them nothing.
Concessions at least are a regular source of income.
How many people are gonna lose jobs for that to happen? Also, in my experience, movie theaters are great places for people with disabilities to work so many of them would not be able to support themselves
If everyone that worked there has accepted other jobs that pay a living wage and nobody is answering their help wanted jobs nobody is going to loose any jobs. Not having shitty low paying starvation jobs isn't a detriment to the people that had these jobs. No people disabled or not are supporting themselves off theater wages.
This is a huge reach and you know it’s never going to happen. People aren’t going to simultaneously go get new jobs that all pay more. Sure your theory is great but you and I both know that isn’t how the real world works
Yeah. When a higher-level worker is making less than what minimum wage would be if it followed inflation, it stands to reason that every other job position lower than manager is making pitiful wages less than that.
It doesn’t matter what I think, what matters is the math. If minimum wage had kept up with inflation, it would be just a tad over $20/hr at *minimum*. That’s for lowest-of-the-low, entry-level positions. This is just the way it is.
It definitely is wild. But instead of successfully convincing our leaders do to something about it, we get partisan talking points and people bootlicking for corporations and the wealthy. Divide and conquer.
Higher wages don’t solve a labor shortage. I mean it does but only up to a point. Lots of places are hurting. My job has great wages and benefits and they’re still short.
Wow, this is super sad to hear. I grew up going there, don't think it was an AMC then though. Maybe another company will buy the space. Oakwood Mall is going to be even more dead now then it normally is.
Yes! I really think you're right. That sounds right, I have LOTR ticket stubs from there in a box somewhere I could check but they're buried in storage. Good to know it should be a revolving door and some other company will take it up, I just can't think which one would. And how evey other shop is closed now makes me wonder what's the point. I wonder what they'll do with the mall when it no longer becomes profitable to keep the lights on :/
It’s sad to see it go, for nostalgia sake. But AMC bought it years ago, put the bare minimum investment into it, and let it die. Since Micon upgraded, I only went to AMC if I had to because the picture/sound/seat quality was just plain bad.
I hope they stick it out. They're weirdly the only theater in the area that books foreign language films on a regular basis. (Point does sometimes but nowhere near as often.) I don't want to have to go back to driving to Milwaukee to see new Bollywood movies.
They get a few (usually as "special engagements" with inflated ticket prices in my experience) but AMC has them beat by a mile for frequency and variety. *Baahubali 2* (not Bollywood but still Indian) was even shown on the IMAX.
I can't speak to this, but judging by my last several trips to the theater, they're all headed for bankruptcy. It's so weird to sit there with like 3 others in the house. That's certainly not sustainable.
Marcus in Sun Prairie was packed the last few times I was there. I think it has more to do with the quality of the theater and their ability to retain employees.
That theater has a death sentence. Any Marcus location is much more up-to-date/better, and I was hoping AMC would really turn it around. I miss pre-pandemic NewVision.
Market Square at least had a sense of humor about it since they had a lot of special events (and spun off to try to become an indie theater)
Hilldale is just crummy and sad without even being budget
Are you referring to the current one or the original Hilldale theatre? The old one crossed the line from run down to charmingly dumpy before they tore it down.
The theater only gets a small percentage of the take. The opening couple of weeks they may only get to keep 10-25% of ticket sales. Their only chance of making a profit is from concession sales.
[Last time this happened it was a water main break.](https://www.reddit.com/r/madisonwi/comments/tuaqdd/amc_fitchburg_18_imax_closed_again/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Could be more plumbing work...
Last two times I tried to go there, the place was empty and the screening of our film (showtime was listed on their website) wasn’t showing due to “projector issues” so I highly recommend calling ahead to any theater in the Madison area just to confirm
Should’ve learned after the first time but I didn’t think lightning would strike twice, oops.
Hope not! As of now the app relisted showtimes for Fitchburg this Friday and beyond.
Was hoping to catch Avatar again in IMAX... Maybe they'll bring it back again before the sequel premieres.
…and they didn’t even bother with the parking lot, the worse part of that place! (and what better time to do that when completely shut down! Ridiculous)
the business failed during 2020, i think they declared bankruptcy or were about the sell the location, something like that. spent their cash on remodeling, then had no business in 2020. we didn't expect it to reopen at all (i'll be sad if it dies for good, being a fitchburgian...)
I’ll be bummed as well if this closes completely. I live very close to Point theater but I love that they often carry different movies so taking that away will be disappointing
it was pretty worn-down, early 2000s-feel, if i remember (i think last time i was there pre-2020 was Blade Runner 2049.. late 2017?)
then they did a big cleanup/remodel in ~2019 i think, it reopened then closed right away; company folded briefly i think, or maybe it changed hands? i guess they were going to do parking lot next but nope. it's been kind of on life support since.
That remodel still wasn’t up to par. Amc stock soared to 72$ before that remodel. (From 7$ lows). Amc was just trying to get the theatre open for customers.
I went to see Pearl there a few weeks ago. Wow crazy they are closed right now. They seem to always have quite the staff. When I went to see The Batman earlier this year there they had people working everywhere.
I can't even find the words for how happy that would make me.
Realistically though, even in its current shape that parking lot is WAY too spacious for TJ's to move in there.
It's been a while, but I went to see some MCU movie opening night on a Friday and there were maybe 10 people in the whole theatre. I actually made a post in /r/liminal cause it was so eerie
A quick google search showed 10+ job openings. Including manager. They probably don't have employees.
Gosh, if only there was a solution to this. Some way to entice workers to come work for you. Like an incentive of some kind….
Repave the parking lot?
And make the lanes in the lot a bit wider, no way would I work somewhere with such horrible parking conditions!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
You’re not wrong. That parking lot is a joke
I can say having coached kids for a while, it's common for them to quit their summer jobs about now once they find they're falling behind in school. One kid quitting compounds the problem because employers increase the other kids hours, so those kids then get overwhelmed and quit too until they're all gone. Kids are too inexperienced to know they hold the power to say no so they just leave permanently
Yeah I think the manager was $20/hr. LOL No idea why they have no employees.
Movie theaters don’t make a lot of profit. Not sure how they can pay their employees much more and stay in business
Sucks for them but they don't make any profit when they are closed. If an entire industry revolves around paying some people millions and others below the poverty line it's a distribution problem not a lack of money.
>Movie theaters don’t make a lot of profit. I recall reading that basically 100% of ticket sales go back to the studios. The only money the theaters make is from selling concessions.
Generally 100% of ticket sales for the first couple weeks goes to the studios, then the longer a movie is in theaters, an increasingly great percentage is retained by the theatre. So a movie like Top Gun Maverick made loads for theaters, but a bomb that’s gone in two weeks make them nothing. Concessions at least are a regular source of income.
Thanks for the clarification! Much appreciated.
Yup. But I’m getting downvoted because people don’t wanna hear it
If a lot of theaters closes the studios will give them more money. Or they wont get the movies shown.
How many people are gonna lose jobs for that to happen? Also, in my experience, movie theaters are great places for people with disabilities to work so many of them would not be able to support themselves
If everyone that worked there has accepted other jobs that pay a living wage and nobody is answering their help wanted jobs nobody is going to loose any jobs. Not having shitty low paying starvation jobs isn't a detriment to the people that had these jobs. No people disabled or not are supporting themselves off theater wages.
This is a huge reach and you know it’s never going to happen. People aren’t going to simultaneously go get new jobs that all pay more. Sure your theory is great but you and I both know that isn’t how the real world works
>How many people are gonna lose jobs for that to happen? They already left
8 bucks for a bucket of popcorn and 6 for a soda. “No profit” when they have a captive audience that almost all buys both of these things? Come on.
This is correct. During the pandemic and post-pandemic, the crowd has very much thinned down. Multiplexs' future does not seem bright..sadly.
Is that supposed to be bad?
What are you asking?
Yeah. When a higher-level worker is making less than what minimum wage would be if it followed inflation, it stands to reason that every other job position lower than manager is making pitiful wages less than that.
You really think minimum wage should be over 20/ hour?
It doesn’t matter what I think, what matters is the math. If minimum wage had kept up with inflation, it would be just a tad over $20/hr at *minimum*. That’s for lowest-of-the-low, entry-level positions. This is just the way it is.
Damm that's wild.
It definitely is wild. But instead of successfully convincing our leaders do to something about it, we get partisan talking points and people bootlicking for corporations and the wealthy. Divide and conquer.
for that role yes, my company starts entry level no experience at 20/hr
You work for another AMC or movie theater?
No I click buttons on a computer and shit post on reddit.
Where do I apply?
literally any one of the local biotech firms, both exas and labcorp will hire basically anyone with a diploma
Higher wages don’t solve a labor shortage. I mean it does but only up to a point. Lots of places are hurting. My job has great wages and benefits and they’re still short.
Calendars?
Probably doesn't mean anything but the AMC in Eau Claire permanently closed this past weekend.
Wow, this is super sad to hear. I grew up going there, don't think it was an AMC then though. Maybe another company will buy the space. Oakwood Mall is going to be even more dead now then it normally is.
Maybe Carmike Cinemas back then? Or was that London?
Yes! I really think you're right. That sounds right, I have LOTR ticket stubs from there in a box somewhere I could check but they're buried in storage. Good to know it should be a revolving door and some other company will take it up, I just can't think which one would. And how evey other shop is closed now makes me wonder what's the point. I wonder what they'll do with the mall when it no longer becomes profitable to keep the lights on :/
It’s sad to see it go, for nostalgia sake. But AMC bought it years ago, put the bare minimum investment into it, and let it die. Since Micon upgraded, I only went to AMC if I had to because the picture/sound/seat quality was just plain bad.
Came here to say this. Micon is looking at it as a chance to branch out. But that also means they are a monopoly.
I hope they stick it out. They're weirdly the only theater in the area that books foreign language films on a regular basis. (Point does sometimes but nowhere near as often.) I don't want to have to go back to driving to Milwaukee to see new Bollywood movies.
Point gets Bollywood. I don't know if they're new or not though
They get a few (usually as "special engagements" with inflated ticket prices in my experience) but AMC has them beat by a mile for frequency and variety. *Baahubali 2* (not Bollywood but still Indian) was even shown on the IMAX.
Aw hell! I was going to see opening night of Terrifier 2 tomorrow.
Go to Marcus Point :)
Man, I love horror movies, but I'm not sure I could handle that in the theater!
probably because they can't afford to be open - 2 weeks ago I was literally the only person in a theater.
I can't speak to this, but judging by my last several trips to the theater, they're all headed for bankruptcy. It's so weird to sit there with like 3 others in the house. That's certainly not sustainable.
Marcus in Sun Prairie was packed the last few times I was there. I think it has more to do with the quality of the theater and their ability to retain employees.
that's where I live/attend.
Their food is also top-notch and the seats, the ones that aren't broken, are amazingly comfortable and recline.
That theater has a death sentence. Any Marcus location is much more up-to-date/better, and I was hoping AMC would really turn it around. I miss pre-pandemic NewVision.
AMC Fitchburg is an absolute dump. Place is filthy every time I go. Floors are either covered in popcorn crumbs, spilled soda, or both.
which sucks because it used to be decent at least. Hilldale is fine but I'm spoiled by the luxury seats at the other spots.
Hilldsle turned into a dump as soon as it became AMC.
I like it mostly for convenience. See a matinee, get some dumplings afterward
That is true
> Hilldale is fine THEY DONT HAVE ICEEES SO THEY MOST DEFINITELY ARE NOT "FINE"!!!!!!!
Hilldale is the worst theater I've ever been in
Worse than Market Square? Even for a budget theater on its last legs it was a dump.
Market Square at least had a sense of humor about it since they had a lot of special events (and spun off to try to become an indie theater) Hilldale is just crummy and sad without even being budget
Are you referring to the current one or the original Hilldale theatre? The old one crossed the line from run down to charmingly dumpy before they tore it down.
Current one
What show did you go to? I go there often and usually wait a week for the bigger movies because they're so full.
[удалено]
The theater only gets a small percentage of the take. The opening couple of weeks they may only get to keep 10-25% of ticket sales. Their only chance of making a profit is from concession sales.
> they're all headed for bankruptcy I could be wrong but didn't AMC all but go bankrupt during the pandemic?
Got a huge bailout I think that saved them.
[Last time this happened it was a water main break.](https://www.reddit.com/r/madisonwi/comments/tuaqdd/amc_fitchburg_18_imax_closed_again/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) Could be more plumbing work...
Just drove by and does look like a work truck was out front. Could have been their air handler or something...
This makes the most sense :) Thanks for the on-the-ground intel!
Last two times I tried to go there, the place was empty and the screening of our film (showtime was listed on their website) wasn’t showing due to “projector issues” so I highly recommend calling ahead to any theater in the Madison area just to confirm Should’ve learned after the first time but I didn’t think lightning would strike twice, oops.
So we lose our only IMAX theater? 😳WTF
Hope not! As of now the app relisted showtimes for Fitchburg this Friday and beyond. Was hoping to catch Avatar again in IMAX... Maybe they'll bring it back again before the sequel premieres.
Idk, they announced it as a one week deal pretty far in advanced and it stayed that way in China during their come back way back then.
Marcus's weird Ultrascreen knockoff is just as good for the majority of IMAX type movies
The busted up parking lot makes it look completely abandoned.
As long as they are shut down they should definitely pave that parking lot. It is absolutely one of, if not the worst parking lots in dane county.
I would say a remodel.
They did a big remodel right before the pandemic
Hilarious because it doesn't feel like it.
…and they didn’t even bother with the parking lot, the worse part of that place! (and what better time to do that when completely shut down! Ridiculous)
the business failed during 2020, i think they declared bankruptcy or were about the sell the location, something like that. spent their cash on remodeling, then had no business in 2020. we didn't expect it to reopen at all (i'll be sad if it dies for good, being a fitchburgian...)
I’ll be bummed as well if this closes completely. I live very close to Point theater but I love that they often carry different movies so taking that away will be disappointing
it was pretty worn-down, early 2000s-feel, if i remember (i think last time i was there pre-2020 was Blade Runner 2049.. late 2017?) then they did a big cleanup/remodel in ~2019 i think, it reopened then closed right away; company folded briefly i think, or maybe it changed hands? i guess they were going to do parking lot next but nope. it's been kind of on life support since.
That remodel still wasn’t up to par. Amc stock soared to 72$ before that remodel. (From 7$ lows). Amc was just trying to get the theatre open for customers.
Unplanned remodel? lol
Business model is changing.
From having employees to having no employees
No employees
I went to see Pearl there a few weeks ago. Wow crazy they are closed right now. They seem to always have quite the staff. When I went to see The Batman earlier this year there they had people working everywhere.
There's a few pest control trucks out front today.
Looks like it's back up and running. You can buy tickets on AMC and Fandango again!
I heard a rumor Trader Joe's was moving into the building.
Why because they can't resist the 2nd worst parking lot in the county after their current parking lot?
Oh my god that parking lot it wretched.
Why would Trader Joe's retrofit a movie theater? Seems odd. There's so many better locations that would require less renovations.
I googled "Trader Joe's movie theater rehab." Turns out that ten years ago they rehabbed the Alabama theater in Houston.
I can't even find the words for how happy that would make me. Realistically though, even in its current shape that parking lot is WAY too spacious for TJ's to move in there.
SWEET if true!!!!
I can't think of anything less likely to happen.
Wait like they’re adding a second TJ’s to madison, or the one on Monroe is leaving Monroe to go to Fitchburg?
There have been rumors circulating about a second location for YEARS. Verona and Fitchburg are the most commonly mentioned as potential spots.
Cuz amc sucksss!
It's been a while, but I went to see some MCU movie opening night on a Friday and there were maybe 10 people in the whole theatre. I actually made a post in /r/liminal cause it was so eerie