Is this the death knell for movie houses?
Today is the last day for the Cinepolis Theater on West 23rd St in Chelsea. For a long time the multiplex was a Cineplex Odeon establishment. Then eight years ago it was taken over by Cinepolis. Now it’s gone.
A post on the website reads: “Dear valued guests, We regret to inform you that Cinepolis Chelsea will be permanently closing on January 8, 2023. Tickets and gift cards may be subject to refunds. Please visit cinepolisusa.com/contact-us to submit a request for review. Our customer service team will reach out as soon as possible. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this has caused. Cinepolis has loved being part of the Chelsea community over the last 6 years, and we will miss sharing the big screen with you.”
There are a handful of multiplexes left in Manhattan, and now none in Chelsea or the West Side of Manhattan from 42nd St. down to Battery Park. We’ve lost so many theaters in the last five years thanks to streaming. Digital is doing to movies what it did to the music and book businesses. This is why New York is so quiet at night outside of Times Square. Why leave the house? Last night I walked by a formerly popular pizza palace and it was empty at 6:30pm. Where was everyone, I aske the owner? “Deliveries,” he answered, pointing to Door Dash carts.
Sad.
