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AS winter comes on I'm asking what I need to know about theatre operations during the cold east coast days to come. I've only been open since May of this year so this will be the first winter I will be going through. Anyone have any tid bits of info they would like to share?

Well I have not dealt with the cold east coast but I have dealt with the cold midwest.
On the coldest nights it was very slow. But it was slow every where. around here the slightest hint of sleet or freezing rain no one would show up. I would get the die hard people who would then ask " why are you open its dangerous out here." If it just snowed people would come. After subfeezing temps people start to venture out.So it depends on your town.

I ran an Art House in the middle of Denver for 5 years. When It would really snow, there would be this small, diehard group that would show up for the films. If I had a slow film and it would snow, business would actually pick up.

Now I am in sunny Califorinia and we in the cinema business alway pray for rain. Business doubles.

Yes rain is a good crowd maker. But if it really rained there would always be that new leak show up in the roof of one auditorium.

We close on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Every other day of the year we are open. On the coast of Maine it is known to have bad weather. The people who live here are used to it, dress for it, have cars that work in it, and know how to drive. Since we're in a downtown surrounded by residential housing no matter how bad the weather people like the adventure of going out to the movies in the middle of it. Like Large: they actually seem to come out a bit more in the midst of it. The bad weather also cuts down on people willing to drive 45 miles to the next big box plex.

What I wonder is how the heat bills get paid. With oil way up I am very glad we took an oil price contract back in June!