Last week’s Atlanta Magazine published an inspiring article on the success of a number of the city’s independently-owned movie theatres. While many of the large chain theatres continue to struggle, the in-the-community efforts of these cinemas have endeared them to the locals and created a thriving business. If you’re looking for bright ideas on how to market a movie theatre to engage your customers, this is a must-read.
The Atlanta Magazine journalist interviewed Chris Escobar, owner of Atlanta’s Plaza and Tara Theatres, and Brandt Gully, owner of the single-location Springs Cinema & Taphouse located 15 miles north of Atlanta in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Both are relatively new operators, with Gully having purchased the Springs Cinema in 2017 and Escobar buying The Plaza in 2017 and The Tara in 2023.
They shared their experiences in running their theatres, finding ways to offer unique programming and entertainment experiences, and then communicating this to residents in their communities. During the pandemic, they brought the show outside with drive-in screenings after dark in their theatre’s parking lots.
The Plaza and Tara show an average of 500 movies in a year on their 7 total screens, while a typical 8-plex chain theatre would typically show only 125 movies. Both owners are making healthy profits from their theatres as well, while having fun and playing an important role in connecting their customers with the movies and each other.
