Saving Small-Town Movie Theaters

Small town movie theaters are seeing new interest from community members who are fighting -- and volunteering -- to keep them open.

1 minute read

July 5, 2010, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

Often located in distant parts of the country far away from the megaplexes common in bigger cities and suburbs, these Main Street theaters are being kept open by community members looking to preserve these amenities.

"In an age of streaming videos and DVDs, the small town Main Street movie theater is thriving in North Dakota, the result of a grass-roots movement to keep storefront movie houses, with their jewel-like marquees and facades of careworn utility, at the center of community life.

From Crosby (population 1,000), near the Saskatchewan border, to Mayville, in the Red River Valley, tickets are about $5, the buttered popcorn $1.25 and the companionship free."

FULL STORY: Old Movie Houses Find Audience in the Plains

Sunday, July 4, 2010 in The New York Times

Community / Economic Development History / Preservation North Dakota Small Towns Rural Areas Movie Theaters View More

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