Gilford – Under the new property, Gilford Cinemas 8 held his opening day on Friday, and the film fans were fortunately attended by the screenings of the new films that Hollywood offered.
The building belongs to WSP Development in Portsmouth, and the Gilford 8 has passed to stage management of Schenectady, New York, from the previous management your neighborhood theater.
They are a small chain of theaters, mainly based in the northeast but also in virginia and South Carolina. They also operate Playland of Huck Finn, an amusement park in Albany, New York.
Their owner and chief executive officer, Joe Masher, has been on the ground in the lake region for about two weeks, pushing the folds.
The previous owners chose not to renew their lease, said Masher on Friday afternoon, and the management he was already known with him and his team by the film industry. When he heard of the opportunity to take the keys and fold the Gilford 8 in his wallet, he jumped on it.
“We are veterans in the industry,” he said. “The last operators are good friends.”
The acquisition cost his business less than $ 100,000 and they took over. Negotiations began in the fall of 2024 and the theater opened its doors on Friday morning.
“We took the opportunity to come to Gilford,” he said.
Friday, Masher was busy welcoming guests, solving points of sale and internet problems, and generally supporting operations on the first day after the switch.
Masher knew that the opportunity to acquire Gilford 8 was good-it was financially successful, he said, noting that it was about 30 years old, and the lakes region provides good customers to support the company .
“It has always succeeded,” he said.
In the meantime, Masher is delighted to bring a new “film philosophy” to Gilford 8. They will play more independent films, viewers may not always have the chance to see on the big screen, in addition From the large Smash-Hits box office played in just about all theater across the country.
They will present thematic events, like a next Harry Potter film race – they will show them all “Back on the Big Screen” – in February, and they will project “Theater” or concert films there, too. These can very well prove to be events of one or two nights.
In a turn of somewhat unusual events, Masher has chosen to keep all the theater staff. There are three managers and 10 other workers who remained employed, having met him a few days before Friday.
“The staff met me two days ago,” he said.
He is also enthusiastic about the proximity of the theater with Axe & Ale, a company of Taphouse, Restaurant and Hache Launch Located next door. The pair even shares an entry between them, which, in the hopes of Masher, will benefit two companies.
“I think it’s an excellent synergistic opportunity,” he said.
The deputy director of Ax & Ale, Candace Labounty, accepted, noting that people often take a bite and a drink before or after seeing a film, and parents sometimes drop off to see a film and go next to relax.
“It’s really very common,” said Labounty. “Even more weekend, or if they are busy. I think it is a good thing that they remain open, it certainly helps with customers. “”
Masher hopes that breathing in life can help counter perceptions on the film industry. Although streaming has clearly exploded in recent years, the cinema sector is anything but dead.
“This is not true,” he said. “We are fine.”
Theaters also offer a unique advertising opportunity for film studios, he explained.
“We provide a very good monetary vehicle for a film,” he said.
As of next week, the theater will introduce new food options such as chicken offers and Tater Tots, and Masher said they would also submit a request for alcohol license. Customers can also expect the introduction of real butter on their popcorn.
He is looking forward to looking at community commitment, he said. They will seek to organize collaborative events for the benefit of charitable organizations, to offer legendary programs for people with disabilities each week and to hold “sensory” views of films as well. He is personally delighted to show classic films, pointing to the 1942 masterpiece with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “Casablanca”, and hopes to present new audiences to old films as they were intended to be seen.
“We will make a lot of old films,” he said.
And why did he enter the cinema sector in the first place? If it is not already clear, it is his passion.
“I have been doing it mainly since I was a teenager,” said Masher. “That’s all I know – I love it. Cinema is part of the American fabric. »»