Jim Nowicki, marketing director for Kerasotes Showplace Theatres in Chicago, said other theater owners are demonstrating the same sort of attention to detail that Graffam has. More than 425 companies, accounting for more than 3,200 locations, are taking part in a program called Cinema Safe, which was commissioned by the National Association of Theatre Owners to outline a set of health and safety guidelines specific to the cinema industry, according to the association. Such safety measures are being taken by major cinemas across the country and the globe. Is it safe to go to the movie theater during the COVID pandemic? "We’re taking every step to make sure our customers and our employees are safe throughout their visit and their work day," Graffam said. The LAB can hold 450 people at once, but has kept capacity to 50 people in the bowling alley and 50 people in the lounge and arcade at one time, according to Graffam. Safe and sanitary measures are in place for the bowling balls and shoes, according to Graffam, and the staffers make every effort to wipe down arcade machines after they are used. More: Maine loosens COVID travel restrictions as tourism season approachesĪnd then there’s the Game LAB, the adjacent lounge, arcade and bowling alley that the cinema opened in early fall 2019. The same goes for the smaller cinemas, which have been able to seat between 30 and 40 people under current guidelines.
The larger cinemas, which can seat 150 people, have been filled with only one-third of that amount during the pandemic, given state restrictions on gatherings. Inside the cinemas, social distancing is created by keeping assorted tables – you can dine while watching movies at Smitty’s – off limits. There are as many safety posters as coming-attractions posters along the hallways – one such poster says to "keep a moose apart," which is a Maine way of saying to keep a social distance of 6 feet from others. Paperless transactions, afforded in part by online ticket purchases, are encouraged. Plexiglass shields are on the counters at the concession stand. Hand sanitizer is prevalent throughout the theater. We wanted our customers and the community and our employees to know that." How does a local movie theater adjust to social distancing? "We spent a lot of time researching and trying to figure out what we were going to do when we reopened," Graffam said. Anyone who thinks there was nothing but downtime would be mistaken. Graffam said people have asked him how he and his staff fared during those four months that Smitty’s was closed last year.
Opinion: Cinema closures strike at my moviegoer's heart In recent weeks, the theater has been showing high-profile Hollywood releases, such as "The Marksman," starring Liam Neeson, and "Tom & Jerry," as well as smaller, independent films. The theater has stayed open ever since, at first showing classic blockbusters and offering old horror movies in October and holiday favorites at Christmastime. Like just about every place else last March, Smitty’s closed its doors and did not reopen them until July. Graffam knows what it’s like to close a cinema, even if just temporarily. "We want everybody to flourish." What happens when a movie theater's screens are dark for four months? "You never want to see another business go under, especially due to the pandemic," Graffam said. Ernie Graffam, the general manager of the Sanford cinema, called the closures of Cinemagic theaters in such places as Saco, Portland and Westbrook "very unfortunate."
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