Historic Farmington Civic Theatre committed to bringing back moviegoers

A historic movie theatre in downtown Farmington, Michigan, says it has been fighting for years to bring back moviegoers.

For decades, the Farmington Civic Theatre has often been recognized as a community staple, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, management says attendance has dropped significantly.

The beloved landmark opened its doors in 1940 and has been playing movies ever since.

"Most places have to close, or they don't show movies anymore and we're trying to keep the dream going," said general manager Clare Cooney. "It's a very big part of the downtown spirit."

The old-school yet charming community theater is rich in history, but Cooney says the crowds aren't what they were before the pandemic.

"People stayed home, streaming became a really big thing, and people lost the habit of going to the movie theatre. So, like a lot of movie theaters, we've struggled," Cooney said.

Cooney tells CBS News Detroit that pre-COVID, the theatre would attract upwards of 70,000 people annually. Now, attendance hovers between 25,000 and 30,000 customers per year.

"In the last six to eight months, the numbers have increased, but we need more folks to know about this place," said Cooney.

The decline in moviegoers has caused the theatre to operate at a deficit.

Cooney says that in 1999, the city took over ownership and loaned the theatre around $150,000 after the pandemic to help rebuild operations. They continue to extend that loan each year to keep the business running.

In the meantime, Cooney remains committed to reigniting interest in this iconic theatre.

"I'm really hopeful because we're going to get a bar put in, we're hopefully going to get some new seats, we're doing a lot more rentals, private events, things like that. And in general, I'm just trying to expand the audience," said Cooney. "I think movies are back and people are coming back out, but we want to make sure that they come to us, and they keep it small and keep it local."

To support the theatre, Cooney says you can stay informed on social media, stop by for a film, and continue to spread the word.