During the last three years, I have seen new businesses come to Troy and flourish, slowly putting an end to the most common complaint students have – that there’s nothing to do in this small college town.
Notably, two bigger chains have been established: Baumhower’s Victory Grille and GoodTimes Bowling. Great! I love both places, and they both seem to be doing well, but I still think we need more affordable social options that are off campus.
The one business I think Troy needs the most – a movie theater.
I have heard so, so much about the movie theater that existed in Troy before my time here. The one that offered $1 movie nights and closed during the pandemic. My blood boils with jealousy every time I hear about it.
I love movies, and I love the movie-theater experience.
Unfortunately, small-town theaters are trending downwards. According to NPR, during the pandemic, people stopped going to theaters and ticket sales decreased as much as 80%. However, college towns have a more ideal demographic for theaters, and I think in Troy particularly, there is a high demand.
Troy is a town full of young people who love hanging out with friends and have income, but students have less financial responsibility and more flexible schedules. Instead of spending money on gas to do fun things elsewhere, we could spend more money at a local theater.
Right now, the closest movie theater is over 45 minutes away if there’s no traffic. This means that seeing a movie is at least an additional hour and a half commitment. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it is enough to be highly inconvenient for the full-time college student who also has a job and is involved in extracurriculars.
Personally, I am that super busy person. Also, there are so many students, including international students, who don’t have cars and can’t make the drive, even if they want to. I didn’t have a car until my junior year, and I saw a movie in theaters a total of one time my first two years of college.
I also find I am less motivated to make the drive if none of my friends are free. I have no problem going to theaters alone, but not if it’s a long drive.
Over the summer, I lived in Panama City, Florida, and living 15 minutes from a movie theater was life changing. I went and saw movies by myself all the time.
If there was a theater in Troy, I could go see a movie on a weekday in the afternoon. The theater could service several of the surrounding towns and offer student discounts or membership plans. I would be there ALL the time. I would buy the refillable popcorn bucket. I’d drag all of my friends there.
I realize there are a lot of arguments against movie theaters. Statistically, they’re not doing as well as they did pre-pandemic and pre-SAG-AFTRA strikes, but I do think we are starting to see a comeback. According to an analysis by CNN, box offices in 2023 made over $9 billion – just $2 billion less than 2019, before the pandemic. That number is even more impressive when you consider that there were 17 fewer “wide-release” films in 2023 than 2019.
2024 has already seen great success with movies like “Twisters” and “Inside Out 2.”. People my age seem to be more excited to go back to the theaters.
Sure, I could just stream a movie. Streaming is fantastic, but for whatever reason, I can’t focus on a movie when I’m watching it on my laptop or have the power to pause at whim. I find myself tempted to check my phone, to scroll social media or google spoilers. It takes weeks to finish one film.
Also, you can only fit so many people in your dorm room to watch a movie. I am constantly looking for more interactive things to do with my friends off campus.
There is just something about the smell of popcorn, the overpriced candy and the reclining seats that transform watching a movie from a mundane escape to a social experience. There is nothing better than the utter excitement of seeing a brand-new movie for the first time in a room of strangers who are also seeing it for the first time. It’s a cultural experience that immerses watchers into stories full of love and adventure – and I wish it was a bigger part of my college life.
Pretty please. I’m really bad at bowling.
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