Red Oak loses it's movie theater

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

While it's sad that a small town theater has to shut their doors, it's almost like the owner is talking out of both sides of her mouth here.

http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?291 ... 9291291007

Then the bottom fell out when ROMACH, which employed about 500 people, closed in 2007.

“That’s exactly when I started having financial problems,” Bolton said. “I was fine until then.”

“People still can afford to go to movies in Shenandoah and Omaha. Why can’t they come and support their local theatre?”

[econboy]

...gonna commit a big sin here....

Sometimes business people aren't the smartest. When it sounds like she talks out of both sides, it's because she probably doesn't really have a good grasp of what she is even talking about. Her statement is contradictory. On one hand she says the loss of jobs has contributed to the town drying up. On the other, she then claims there are still alot of people in town but they all go to other communities.

It's called competition. If they are leaving town to see movies elsewhere when there is a theater in town, it probably speaks to something about her theater and what people don't like about it.

Often small town business do not like competition. That way they don't have to grow, update and change. It's easier that way. This is part of that mentality. She thinks since they live in Red Oak and Red Oak has a theater (hers) they should all go there and never go elsewhere. The modern automobile allows people to go places quickly they otherwise wouldn't have before. She should research that sometime.

[DMRyan]

Red Oak seems to be really getting battered lately. Too bad too, because it's really a pretty cool little town with some unique attributes (The Heights, Chautauqua Park).

[hawk61401]

Often small town business do not like competition. That way they don't have to grow, update and change. It's easier that way. This is part of that mentality. She thinks since they live in Red Oak and Red Oak has a theater (hers) they should all go there and never go elsewhere. The modern automobile allows people to go places quickly they otherwise wouldn't have before. She should research that sometime.

You could take this argument to the next level when people drive from Des Moines to Omaha to use the Omaha airport. Personally, I want Des Moines to have the best airport and service possible. Even if costs me a few extra bucks, I am going to support Des Moines, not Omaha.

If Red Oak wanted to remain unique among Iowa's small towns (having a movie theater), they would have chosen to support it. Corydon, Iowa, which is one third the size of Red Oak still has a movie theater as far as I know because they support it. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/commun ... Con54.html

Corydon's theater: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/1201.html

[econboy]

Often small town business do not like competition. That way they don't have to grow, update and change. It's easier that way. This is part of that mentality. She thinks since they live in Red Oak and Red Oak has a theater (hers) they should all go there and never go elsewhere. The modern automobile allows people to go places quickly they otherwise wouldn't have before. She should research that sometime.

You could take this argument to the next level when people drive from Des Moines to Omaha to use the Omaha airport. Personally, I want Des Moines to have the best airport and service possible. Even if costs me a few extra bucks, I am going to support Des Moines, not Omaha.

If Red Oak wanted to remain unique among Iowa's small towns (having a movie theater), they would have chosen to support it. Corydon, Iowa, which is one third the size of Red Oak still has a movie theater as far as I know because they support it. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/commun ... Con54.html

Corydon's theater: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/1201.html

But thats not how the consumer thinks on average. They think about their bottom line first. As most people would. I support Des Moines' airport too but I don't want to have to pay too much extra and have it ruin something I may be budgeting for. That, and another airport offering more airlines. If everyone walked around each day and thought "I'm going to fall on the sword for the community here" then we wouldn't have this conversation. However, they don't.

[Mastermind]

also, most of us who fly out of Omaha are saving hundreds of dollars, not a few dollars.

[hawk61401]

.

[Ankeny Husker Freak]

...gonna commit a big sin here....

Sometimes business people aren't the smartest. When it sounds like she talks out of both sides, it's because she probably doesn't really have a good grasp of what she is even talking about. Her statement is contradictory. On one hand she says the loss of jobs has contributed to the town drying up. On the other, she then claims there are still alot of people in town but they all go to other communities.

It's called competition. If they are leaving town to see movies elsewhere when there is a theater in town, it probably speaks to something about her theater and what people don't like about it.

Often small town business do not like competition. That way they don't have to grow, update and change. It's easier that way. This is part of that mentality. She thinks since they live in Red Oak and Red Oak has a theater (hers) they should all go there and never go elsewhere. The modern automobile allows people to go places quickly they otherwise wouldn't have before. She should research that sometime.

I don't know if it's still the case or not, but I recall there always being several weeks after a new movie is released that it trickles down to the mom & pop small town theaters. If that still remains the case, I don't blame people for driving to Omaha or Council Bluffs.

Red Oak is dying a slow, painful death. I'm sure the movie theater won't be the last to close.