Movie lovers once again have a chance to see first-run films in the theater without having to travel far. Glen Cove Cinemas re-opened last week, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and free films offered to celebrate the occasion.
“Thanks to all of the support we have here and all of you, Glen Cove is once again open for business,” said Mayor Reginald Spinello at the ceremony, held outside the theater on Thursday, April 10. “This is going to be so good for Glen Cove and the surrounding communities.”
Assemblyman Charles Lavine said that “this is a major triumph for Glen Cove…movies are integral to our community; it will help our restaurants and our stores. It’s a super day for all of us, it’s a super day especially for the little ones, because they’re going to spend a lot of time here.”
“What made me interested in this theater is that, when I was a boy, there were three theaters in Glen Cove,” said theater operator Jay Levinson, noting that the first movie he ever saw as a child was Around the World in 80 Days, which was released during a time when Glen Cove was “very popular” and movies like that had an exclusive engagement in Glen Cove.
“Unfortunately, times change, towns change and the way the studios do business certainly changed, unfortunately not for the better,” Levinson continued. “The problem with the movie business today is we depend on making money on the candy stand rather than the theaters because we pay such a high percentage to the studios.”
He said the theater would try art films in addition to family films, and they will have tables and chairs set up in the lobby with a big screen to watch old favorite television shows and pay tribute to actors who have passed away.
On the day of the grand re-opening, the cinema offered free admission until 6 p.m. as well as free popcorn and soda. Brian Mannix of Babysitting Barter was at the event promoting his site and his collaboration with Glen Cove Cinemas on a Friday night “Date Night at the Movies,” where local sitters can sign up to sit for Friday nights via the website and parents can more easily find someone to care for their children while they go out to the movies. Visit www.babysittingbarter.com and www.glencovecinema.com.
