HOULTON, Maine — When Temple Cinemas in Houlton first closed down back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, owner Charlie Fortier certainly didn’t think the closure would last until September.
“I thought this [pandemic] was going to be two weeks, everybody’s going to get bored with it and everything will be fine,” he said. “But mistakes were made.”
Houlton’s small two-screen, locally-owned theater finally opened Thursday, Sept. 3, with a double screening of the movie “Tenet,” directed by Academy Award-winner director Christopher Nolan. Tickets were sold at a discounted price of $6, while also offering $5 popcorn buckets.
While attendance was not as high as Fortier had hoped on opening night, he said it was better than the final day of shows back in March.
With the reopening comes several new guidelines in order to ensure social distancing and protect the health and safety of both theater-goers and staff. Masks will be required, as well as lining up for ticket sales in a socially distanced manner. Guests were encouraged to come early before the 6:15 p.m. airing time of the first screening in order for customers to be able to line up accordingly for ticket purchases, which were sold at concessions rather than the ticket counter.
“This is not a political statement. It’s something that’s mandated by the state and the National Association of Theater Owners,” said Fortier regarding the new requirements. “And believe it or not by the movie studio itself that has Tenet, who made us promise to make sure to have everybody wear a mask.”
Having the same film screened at the theater’s two different screens enabled up to 100 people to see the film, with 50 people per screen, as is the mandated limit for the number of customers that may be seated. Changes were also made to the concessions, such as the removal of the theater’s flavored salt containers for popcorn, in order to reduce human contact.
While the theate’s lobby was closed over the summer, it had been selling popcorn to customers as a way to maintain business, with the first sales drawing large, socially-distanced lines of customers wishing to show their support.
“We had a huge turnout, and I’m really, really grateful,” said Fortier of the popcorn sales. “But the thing I’m grateful about even more is that we didn’t have to tell anybody anything. They just socially distanced all the way and waited in line for an hour. I’m not really the kind of person who would go to tears, but it was extremely moving.”
