THREE movie theaters are closing their doors for good as the community mourns the loss in their Wisconsin neighborhoods.
The three affected theaters include the Marcus Theatres locations in Milwaukee, Franklin and Saukville.
Altogether, Marcus Theatres operates 91 cinemas across the country.
The news this summer left a community mourning for the loss of the cinema from their neighborhoods and also worried for the livelihoods of the staff.
"It's sad, I feel bad for the people working here," Saukville Cinema customer Bill Rusher told CBS 58.
Many of the movie theaters’ frequent guests made it a point to visit the cinema one last time on Labor Day weekend.
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"When we heard that they were going to be closing down, we had to make sure to get in for at least one more," Milwaukee resident Cody Malone told the local station.
The Milwaukee theater closed officially September 5, while Saukville and Franklin Cinemas have until September 17 to say goodbye to guests.
Many of the past theater goers are worried about what could replace the building in the future.
"It's kind of sad that this is going to be vacant. Not looking the greatest for our community,” Saukville resident Robin O'Donnell said.
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For several decades, the theaters have been a longstanding community presence.
"Ninety-five was the first time I came here with my mom, and I've been hooked on movies ever since. First time you smell popcorn, see the big neon sign," Milwaukee resident Jaime Martinez said.
Still, many weren’t surprised to see the cinemas, which rarely had many customers, close up its doors.
"Every time we come, it's never really busy," Rusher said.
"I think it's not very busy maybe because it's not very updated. Everybody wants the DreamLoungers and reclining," O'Donnell added.
Marcus Theatres never gave an official reason for the shutdowns but anticipates moviegoers will be better served at nearby locations.
"We routinely reviewed the amenities at our theatre locations to provide the best moviegoing experience and determined that our customers at these locations are better served by the more expansive amenities at other nearby Marcus Theatres,” the company said in a statement to CBS 58.
The decision has met pushback by some residents who say they preferred the more traditional movie theater style.
"It had everything we needed. We never needed all the laid-back chairs and things like that. Just a nice, quiet place to enjoy a movie, and this was it. I'm sad to see it go," Malone said.
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Marcus Theatres is not the longer business that has been forced to adapt and shutter locations amid changing consumer behaviors.
Several chains filed for bankruptcy after not being able to match previous sales records and falling under heavy debt.
For example, home goods giant Tuesday Morning filed for bankruptcy in February.
Since then, roughly half of the chain’s remaining stores shuttered their doors.
At least 860 stores have reported their upcoming closures in 2023.
Party City has also closed at least 39 stores since filing for bankruptcy.
The party supplies store was hit hard by the pandemic but has now reached an agreement to exit its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and take steps forward as a company.
The banking industry is shifting to the online space as well, leading to the closure of several branches.
Wells Fargo will shutter its Redondo Beach, California branch this month as more banks close their doors.
“Customers use our wide range of digital capabilities for many of their banking needs and, as a result, more transactions are happening outside the branch,” a company spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.
“As customer preferences and transaction patterns change, so will our branches and the experiences customers have in them.”
This joins a longer list of 37 Wells Fargo banks that closed this year.
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A beloved taco restaurant has also closed its doors after facing significant competition.
And Chase Bank is closing five locations as online banking gains ground.
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