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| Gourmet popcorn stand in the Aurora Theatre lobby (Photo by Jillian LeBlanc) |
The Aurora Theatre sits on 673 Main St., a location it has called home since 1925. With a rustic look and retro feel, the theater visually stands out against modern competitors in the area. But under the ownership of Paul and Lynn Kinsella, it works to remain up to date and relevant, keeping in stride with chain theaters.
The Kinsellas purchased the theatre in 2010, and have consistently worked to expand the brand.
With a diminishing release window – the time it takes for a movie to go from theater to home – the Aurora Theatre is constantly making changes to draw customers.
“In order to be successful we have to really be what they call a first run movie theatre,” said Lynn Kinsella. “You bring in the movies when they come out, on the day of release, which is a double edge sword. It’s great that you can get them. People want to see them. And people – most times – come to see them. But on the other side, you’re paying more to the studio to be able to show them. And you have to keep them longer in your theater. It makes it difficult; it’s a crunch.”
The owners hit a snag in their plan when they were forced to convert their projection technology.
In 2013, the moviemaking industry required all theaters to convert to digital projection. From that point on, studios no longer produced movies in 35mm film. Theaters were forced to either upgrade their projectors or go out of business.
This was a $75,000 upgrade for the Aurora Theatre.
“It wasn’t just getting the new projector and server; we had to do all new electrical work for it,” Lynn Kinsella said.
Despite the cost, this enhancement would eventually save time and money; 35mm film is more tedious and time-consuming than its new replacement.
“We would get reels; they would come in boxes,” she said. “You would get a box and it would be in pieces. So a film – depending on its length – could come anywhere from four to seven reels of film. Those would have to be spliced and assembled in order to put the film together. That usually took a couple hours to do. And you had to be trained specifically do it.”
With the installment of the digital projector, both owners began to look for other ways to turn a profit. New changes were made in the way of concessions, by opening a gourmet popcorn shop.
“Having good concessions is a big thing,” Lynn Kinsella said. “Being able to get a nice cup of coffee, gourmet teas, and gourmet popcorns. It’s an elevated experience because people do like nice things, and food in today’s society is really big. They want nice food. They want good concessions. They don’t want stuff that isn’t going to taste good.”
Kinsella said she wants her customers to have a home-like experience, to have fresh, quality food that makes the experience more enjoyable. The products of the popcorn shop are made in-house and also sold as a takeout product, as well as a concession.
“We make everything here. We can control the quality, so we know we’re giving a good product. There’s a lot of potential for it. And also, we’ve got a great Main Street. People are walking in to get the popcorn. We are going to be doing more to build on that.”
Kinsella is also working on expanding the theatre’s marketing, with emphasis on value added promotions.
“We are looking to partner with different businesses,” she said. “Right now we’re hoping to start this in June when ‘Finding Dory’ comes out. We’re starting to talk with the Aquarium of Niagara to see if they want to have a display here. In turn, our customers could get a buy one get one coupon to go to the Aquarium, or maybe we’ll do a raffle for prizes. So when customers come here, they get a little something extra.
The Aurora Theatre wants people to feel included when they go to the movies. They also wish to promote fellow businesses and organizations around the area, giving customers the best experience.
“’Secret Life of Pets’ is coming out in July so I’m hopefully going to have the Greyhound Adoption Program here with dogs. Have all kind of pet things that people with pets might enjoy. I would love to do a movie where people could bring their pets, but I think that might be a little out of control.”
These events and changes are all moves to counteract the new movie environment. In an age of on demand content, with instant streaming, and a small release window, less people are going to movie theaters.
Kinsella said that many single screened theaters are undergoing renovations, adding multiple screens. Theaters are chopping apart the main screen, and decreasing the amount of seats to accommodate for comfortably sized smaller rooms.
Locally owned theaters are trying to draw people back by offering several movies, much like their chain owned competition. The drawback of downsizing the main screen is that theaters are more prone to running out of seats. The average 90 to 150 seats fills up much quicker than the 646 chairs the Aurora Theatre offers.
“We are going to play up the whole fact that we’ve got a huge screen, which is awesome for seeing movies such as ‘Star Wars,’” she said.
Kinsella said people go to the Theatre because they prefer the ambiance. They like the huge screen, along with the character of the auditorium. It is an experience that people continuously seek out.
“A lot of people had such a nostalgic feeling when they came here to see ‘Star Wars.’ It’s how they saw it originally, and that was how they wanted to see it again.”
Former movie theater manager Lorah Gonzales agreed, saying that movie theaters have a special atmosphere, which lures people.
“It’s like a dive bar. Quieter, less people, less crowded,” said Gonzales. “It has a more comfortable feel to it.”
While they generally bring in a small crowd during the week, they do get a large crowd at times. Kinsella said that blockbuster films can draw 300 to 400 people opening night.
With about an average of eight employees, the Aurora Theatre caters to the masses, giving the public the experience they desire.
Gonzales believes that theaters will never go away, even with the advancements in the digital age. She predicted a significant amount of society will continue to seek the joy of going to the movies for decades to come.
“There is something about being in a theater,” Gonzales said. “I can download, and I can watch any movie from the comfort of my bed. And that’s fine. But there is something about sitting in the theater.”
email: j.omerine@gmail.com
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