Essex Cinemas to reopen in July
Essex Cinemas owner Peter Edelmann decided using the promotional pop-up poster for "Upward" could help send a positive message to those passing by. Photo by Mike Nosek, Essex Reporter Staff Writer.
ESSEX -- To local cinephiles’ delight, Essex Cinemas is slated to reopen sometime next month.
General manager of Essex Cinemas, Eric Reynolds, is excited to get the town back into the theater.“
We have some high-profile movies coming in, like Mulan and Tenet, which has pushed back its release date,” said Reynolds.
Both Mulan and Tenet are being released towards the end of July, and Reynolds expects that Essex Cinemas will be ready for patrons by then, though it’s not yet clear what specific initiatives Essex Cinemas will put in place to comply with Vermont business reopening guidelines.
“We’ll be following CDC recommendations, with masks and lots of cleaning and sanitation,” said Reynolds. But with indoor arts businesses like museums and theaters limited by a 25 percent occupancy and strict physical distancing, Essex Cinemas will need to find a way to enforce such measures in the audience.
Reynolds receives emails every day from expectant movie-goers, and wants them to take away some perspective from this experience.
“Going to the movies is something we’ve done culturally for a long time. I hope that people recognize just how important it is to gather,” Reynolds said.
