09/13/2024
Passing the Torch: A New Beginning
The 2020 pandemic created incredible difficulty for small town theaters. In 2021 the Chillicothe Optimist Town Theatre reached out through GoFundMe in order to keep the doors open. The public responded amazingly! Over $12,650 was raised for a $10,000 goal.
This outpouring of financial support truly showed the heart of the community. These funds allowed the Town Theatre to review and update its business model by adding subscription options and punch cards. While this financial support helped the Town Theatre’s immediate financial need, what didn’t change was an increase in attendance. In order to have a thriving theater the community has to show up. Since reopening, movie habits have changed. Not only for the Town Theatre, but for theaters across the US. People just weren’t coming to the movie theater. The absence of a full house attendance, the price increase of goods and services, combined with the minimum wage increase left a negative monthly impact on the Town Theatre’s budget. The Optimist Town Theatre could no longer fulfill their mission of giving back to the non-profit organizations supporting children within our community.
After much deliberation and extensive research the Optimist Club and the Town Theatre board recognized in order to preserve the Town Theatre’s presence on Historic Downtown 2nd Street the business model would once again need to be changed.
Seeking an entrepreneur with the vision to convert the Town Theatre into a thriving Theatre for Performing Arts, the Optimist Club and Theatre Board met with local businessman Mike Tobin of Tobin Brothers and MKjea Properties LLC. From the initial meeting, Mike not only understood the historic significance of the Town Theatre but had a much bigger vision of what it could become. As a Theatre for Performing Arts, the ability to have musical performances, comedian acts, and a home to the local theater group are all envisioned for the future. While no longer operating as a first run theater, the Theatre for Performing Arts will still be able to show movies.
Since November 2009, through the efforts of the Chillicothe Town Theatre the Optimist Club of Chillicothe has given back over $150,000 to organizations supporting children. In November of 2024, the Optimist Town Theatre is passing the torch to Mike Tobin and looking forward to a new beginning to this historic gem. First run movies will continue to run through the last weekend in October. Grab your family, friends and neighbors for this final chapter of this traditional movie theater. Renovation plans will begin in Spring of 2025 and the opening of the Theatre for Performing Arts is planned to take place late 2025.
