No foolin’

Did everyone catch yesterday’s article in the Chronicle about Central Cinema?   It was a really nice, feel-good piece and Mark Haskett came away looking really good.   Very optimistic and very positive, it was refreshing to say the least.   Highlights:

…Most of the customers are regulars, and Haskett says they all ask the same question, “Are you going to stay open when the big theater is done?”

…The cineplex will have 1,526 combined seats when finished, but Haskett insists there’s plenty of room for both businesses.

“Our competition here is not that megaplex opening downtown,” Haskett says. “Our competition is Blockbuster. Our competition is Netflix. Our competition is iTunes. I’ve got a big screen and a venue that you don’t have at your house. But you’ve got your sofa and you’ve got your TiVo. That’s where the competition lies.”

…from the time he opened his doors, the crowds have been strong.

“It just sort of spread word of mouth. We never really spent money on any advertising,” Haskett explains. “A hundred people standing in front of this building is not good for me. It’s not what I need. We are here to service the entertainment needs of the people within five or 10 blocks of this building.”

So here’s the thing, even after reading this and really liking the direction Mark Haskett is going with Central Cinema, did it make me want to go to Central Cinema?  Not really.  When I want to go and see a movie, I want to go to see a movie and have that whole movie theater experience with the crowds and the shared movie going experience.   With the crowds of people laughing and cheering and crying.  

If I wanted to kick back on a couch to watch a flick, I’ll do it at home, where I can pause the movie for a bathroom break or get more snacks.  I do see the value in a theater like Central Cinema though.   I can see how most parents would feel more comfortable having their kids hang out for a movie at a smaller venue like Central Cinema, especially if the kid wants to see a Disney movie for the umpteenth time.  I can also see how parents with small crying children could see the value of seeing a movie at Central Cinema as well.  It’s much easier to find your way out of a small theater like that to comfort your child than a huge theater. 

Once the Alameda Theater opens, I think both can survive in Alameda, they really do serve different niches of people and I hope that the Alameda Theater won’t interfere with Central Cinema’s ability to show their first run movies.   Because, as Mark Haskett said:

“…There’s enough ‘Horton Hears a Who!’ to go around.”

There certainly is.

On another note, did everyone get their new Alameda phone books?   If you have and haven’t looked at it yet or were considering tossing it in the recycle bin, wait!  What I love about this Alameda phone book is that there are a lot of great coupons (and restaurant menus) after the white pages section.   On the topic of movie theaters, the Alameda Theater has a number of coupons for use in the concession if you plan on going to see a movie at the Alameda Theater.   I love coupons.

And on a final note, to give credit where credit is due, Alameda Daily News is incredibly funny today reaching almost Noosian heights.  I didn’t think Don Roberts had it in him anymore, if he ever had it in him, but it hit all the right notes.   A tip o’ the hat to Don R. and the “award winning” Alameda Daily News. 

Oops, just checked, Sue T. was right, the post is gone!  Here is what it did say:

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

CMFA: “Federal Regulations Require Removal of Garage’s Top Floors”

Editor,

Just as some of us are trying to put the garage saga behind us and focus on navigating construction zones instead, Citizens for Megaplex Free Alameda (CMFA) has learned that the U.S. District Court in San Francisco has ordered the City to pay a $2.8 million fine, for failure to comply with federal security regulations for access to public structures and response times for emergency vehicles, when it approved the new garage.

Federal regulators, apparently tipped off by a garage detractor, have evaluated the structure and estimate that due to its configuration and height, the time for an emergency vehicle to reach the top level exceeds federally approved emergency response times by about a minute and 28 seconds. The action against the City was filed on February 28; the decision was released last Thursday, and CMFA learned about it yesterday.

Alternately, the city can comply (and avoid paying the fine) by shaving off the top two levels of the garage to reduce access time. In view of the current city budget constraints, this is the more likely scenario. According to a staff member speaking on anonymity, this may result in another closure of Oak Street between Central Ave. and Santa Clara Ave. for about 6 more months.

CMFA regrets not thinking to check with the feds earlier, when it was protesting the garage on other, more obvious grounds. Had PSBA, staff, city council, and the mayor had this key piece of information regarding public structures, they would have no doubt found a way to ignore it while casting the severe consequences in a positive light on the city’s website.

For additional information, go to safety.fedreg.gov/public/april_fools

Your friends at CMFA