Tuesday, March 7, 2017

The End of an Era

Gossips learned this morning that Fairview Cinema 3, Hudson's only independent, locally owned and operated hometown movie theater, just across the border in Greenport, will go dark forever at the end of the evening show on Sunday, March, 19.
The theater has for several years been struggling with two challenges that have finally proved insurmountable. At the beginning of 2014, movie studios stopped making film prints in favor of distributing only digital copies of movies. The switch required theaters to invest in expensive new digital projectors and sound systems. Bruce Mitchinson, the owner of Fairview Cinema 3, was able to equip one of the three theaters with the new digital equipment, but he has been reluctant to invest in digital equipment for the other two theaters because, for the past three years, he has been unable to negotiate an affordable lease renewal with the owners of the shopping mall.
With the closing on March 19, Fairview Cinema 3 is ending 44 years of continuous operation, and Mitchinson is ending a 47-year career in the movie theater business, the last 18 as the owner of Fairview Cinema 3. In his career choice, Mitchinson followed in the footsteps of his father, Wilfred Mitchinson, who was the projectionist at such storied Hudson movie houses as the Warren Theatre, now Rivertown Lodge, and the Community Theatre, the future home of the Marina Abramovic Institute.
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7 comments:

  1. Virginia MartinMarch 7, 2017 at 4:41 PM

    That is truly sad. Now it’s the Crandell for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don MooreMarch 7, 2017 at 4:48 PM

    Thanks, Bruce, for your contribution to our civic and cultural life.

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  3. Michael O'HaraMarch 7, 2017 at 5:03 PM

    We second Don's note of thanks! We wish you well in your next venture and good health!
    Ruth and Michael

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ginna Moore March 7, 2017 at 5:29 PM

    I'm so sorry to lose you & your theatre. The best popcorn in town, and many, many wonderful hours in the dark, seeing movies the way they're meant to be seen. Thank you, Bruce, very much.

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  5. windleMarch 7, 2017 at 9:40 PM

    Thank you for all the great times

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  6. UnknownMarch 7, 2017 at 10:55 PM

    I am so sad to hear this. I much prefer the cozy atmosphere and welcoming lobby here to any other local movie theater. And I will miss my popcorn in a proper bucket! I hate paper bagged popcorn!

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownMarch 10, 2017 at 4:17 PM

    I am very sad to know this. I am fairly new to the area but I've been a regular customer of the Fairview.

    ReplyDelete

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