Tacoma 8-plex movie theater set to close
TACOMA, Wash. -- The latest movie releases may not be coming soon to a theater near you, if you're in the South Sound. A Tacoma 8-plex movie theater is closing for good on Thursday, but that may mean a box office boom for independent movie houses nearby.
The Hitchcock family says the $4 ticket keeps them coming back to Tacoma's Blue Mouse Theater for their date night. In contrast: a ticket at the Galaxy Tacoma Narrows Theater may be twice as much.
A source tells KOMO News the Galaxy Theater is closing, even after the theater just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in digital projector upgrades. There just wasn't enough business -- on one showing this week there was barely 10 people in the theater.
The theater gave out free movie vouchers to customers, but they ran out and they have to be used before Thursday's last showing.
The managers at Tacoma's other independent theatre are in the process of upgrading. In addition to lower prices, they'll soon have digital movies.
"I've been coming here since I was a little kid so for me its nostalgic," said one movie patron.
But that's something else money can't buy.
The Hitchcock family says the $4 ticket keeps them coming back to Tacoma's Blue Mouse Theater for their date night. In contrast: a ticket at the Galaxy Tacoma Narrows Theater may be twice as much.
A source tells KOMO News the Galaxy Theater is closing, even after the theater just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in digital projector upgrades. There just wasn't enough business -- on one showing this week there was barely 10 people in the theater.
The theater gave out free movie vouchers to customers, but they ran out and they have to be used before Thursday's last showing.
The managers at Tacoma's other independent theatre are in the process of upgrading. In addition to lower prices, they'll soon have digital movies.
"I've been coming here since I was a little kid so for me its nostalgic," said one movie patron.
But that's something else money can't buy.
These days, I no longer attend movie theaters. Why would a family spend more to see
a movie once, when after it has payed out in the theaters it cost less to own the movie
and watch it in the comfort of your own home. That scenerio is even true if you opted
to own the Blue Ray version verses the normal DVD. It is even more true if one
factors in the high cost of the concession stands. The cost of those same treats at
home is only a fraction at home verses the cost at the theater
If you do not want to own the movie, it can usually be rented, or downloaded for a
mere fraction of the cost of attending the movie at the theater.
I still attend live theater performances when finances allow, but going out to a movie
theater has now become TOO expensive to just be one of those that see the movie
before it is released on Blue Ray, DVD or to the video rental agencies.
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High ticket prices, ridiculously expensive concession stand prices, loud patrons, screaming babies, cellphones and sticky floors. Â What's not to like about movie theaters? Â
@Opus8no5Â Yeah, and the movies became so formulaic that I went back to watching silent films. Not to mention the threat of high definition gunfire being the latest craze: no chance of suspending my disbelief on that reality.
A multiplex theater nostalgic? That's a new one in the nostalgic department for sure! Now, a beautiful, classic theater like the Paramount Theaters of yesteryear now that's nostalgic.
 @Tooby Roosday Nostalgia is in the eye of the beholder. If this person's childhood was spent watching movies in this theater, their memories of it would by definition be nostalgic. I get nostalgic thinking of the old Lewis & Clark theater (when it was single screen!) and the UA Cinema 150, where I first saw Star Wars.
 @TheMadTurk Yeah, I know the "eye of the beholder" thing, but I'm sure you know what I mean also.
I remember once I went to a movie and when it started I looked around and I was the only one there.
I went up front and asked them if they just wanted to go home they could give me my money back and we could all call it a night. Don't remember what movie it was but it must have been a stinker.
"there was barely 10 people"
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That actually made me cringe.Â
 @lakeview 3rd story with grammatical errors on KOMO today.
@Melissa Angevine @lakeview After belaboring this issue with KOMO for years, I am convinced the grammatical errors and typos are intentional. It seems to engender a certain cultish quality to it. Perhaps their reporters sit in a circle and type their stories while playing with their poo