GREENFIELD — Following Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s mandate restricting dine-in food sales across the state, Greenfield Garden Cinemas will dim its projectors for at least one month — the latest of many small businesses across Franklin County that have been impacted by the evolving health crisis driven by COVID-19.
“Even though we could sell up to 25 tickets per theater, we can no longer operate,” reads a statement from Isaac Mass, the downtown theater’s owner. “As many of you may understand, up to 70 percent of all ticket sales go to the movie studios. Our ability to continue to operate based on even the smallest attendance is dependent upon concession sales.”
Effective immediately, the Garden Cinemas will close until at least April 17.
The 90-year-old theater — which was purchased in November by Mass and his wife, Angela — is currently undergoing major renovations that are required to bring it up to the state’s accessibility code. Demolition work is scheduled to begin March 23.
“We are uncertain what (if any) delay this will cause to the construction,” Mass said in the statement. “We hope that when we re-open we will be fully accessible for mechanical wheelchairs in theaters one through five.”
Additionally, the delay could throw awry the Masses plans to purchase the building — a process that’s currently ongoing.
Over two months, Mass estimated the theater has around $30,000 in fixed costs including the building lease, insurance, licensing agreements and other expenses that cannot be recouped. With that, Mass noted that Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist at the National Institutes of Health who has publicly led the nation’s response to the virus outbreak, has recommended that businesses should consider closing for eight weeks.
While closed, Mass noted the owners intend to leverage the unfortunate circumstances for the theater’s betterment through long-term investment.
“Beginning (Monday), we will start installing insulation into theaters four and five to help with heating, cooling, energy efficiency and sound-proofing,” Mass said. “We are also working immediately on our plan of safety improvements as recommended by the Greenfield building inspector. We hope to come out better than we went in for our patrons.”
Andy Castillo can be reached at acastillo@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 276.