There are a lot of opinions concerning COVID-19; however, one thing most everyone agrees on is the immense impact it has had on the economy and business in general. Particularly speaking, movie theaters nationwide have taken a hit, closing their doors as early as March.
According to Forbes, the largest movie theater chain in the United States, AMC Theaters, suffered $2.4 billion first-quarter loss due the national pandemic. Also according to the National Association of Theater Owners, theaters have also lost 93 percent of box office sales compared to 2019.
The Starkville and Columbus theaters both closed in March due to the pandemic.
In Starkville UEC Hollywood Premier Cinema is scheduled to reopen Friday. The movie theater will premier new movies at regular price and “catalog” movies at the bargain price of $5.
After nearly five months of closure, the theater will finally reopen its doors. Moviegoers will be required to wear masks in the lobby, restrooms and hallways but can remove them while eating and drinking in the auditorium.
Guests will also be asked to “appropriately distance” their groups from other guests.
New movie releases will be “Unhinged” and “Words on Bathroom Walls,” while older titles such as “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Jurassic Park,” “Trolls World Tour,” “Inception,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Back to the Future” will also be airing.
Although Malco Movie Theater, which has a site in Columbus, will also start opening movie theaters Friday, Columbus is not on the list of early theater openings as of now, but be sure to stay up to date with Malco in Columbus for upcoming opening dates.
Also in Starkville, Patience McRee has had a busy few months.
In just 10 weeks, she has given birth to her son, purchased a franchise for Main Street and bought a house.
McRee, along with her father Rickey McCollum, hope to open Magnolia Soap & Bath Company at 222 E. Main St. by Aug. 31.
Magnolia Soap & Bath Company first opened in New Albany and has grown to various stores throughout Mississippi. The soap store offers more than 50 scents of bath and skin products that are 100-percent plant-based.
McRee said she’s excited about moving to Starkville and sharing the same Magnolia products she loves with the Mississippi State Bulldog community.
“I started using the products over a year ago and fell in love with the laundry soap,” she said. “I introduced it to my mom and dad and they got hooked instantly. … We are die-hard (Mississippi) State fans, so we were thrilled when Starkville was an option (for a franchise).
Another establishment has jumped on the food truck craze. Welcome Home Beef, a Starkville butcher shop on University Drive, welcomed its food truck to Starkville last Thursday. Will Sanders, part owner, said the food truck is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.
“We’ve been planning to do it for a while, just customers requesting us to prepare food,” Sanders said. “… We’re just really thankful for the community.”
Welcome Home Beef offers burgers, cheese steaks and street tacos for lunch and dinner and ribeyes and New York strips for dinner only.
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