Thomas Breen photo
The Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas at 80 Temple St.
New Haven could lose its last remaining movie theater, as the company that runs the Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas on Temple Street downtown has concluded that “a movie theatre in its current configuration is not a viable business model in the future” at that space.
Over the past few days, this reporter has heard a rumor going around town that the nine-screen Bow Tie movie theater at 80 Temple St. will be closing at the end of August.
The movie theater, which sits on the ground floor of an upscale apartment building also owned by an affiliate of Bow Tie Partners, first opened its downtown location in 2004.
In an email comment provided to the Independent for this article, Bow Tie Partners Vice President of Operations Brooke Sugaski did not say that the theater definitely will or will not be closing. But, she confirmed that the 80 Temple St. cinema’s future is not looking bright, at least in its current setup.
“Unfortunately, the movie theater business in smaller markets, such as New Haven, has changed dramatically following the Covid 19 pandemic,” Sugaski wrote. “Criterion Cinemas opened in 2004 and has proudly entertained the people of New Haven for almost 20 years. Bow Tie Partners is motivated to leverage its history and experience and remain a productive business owner in New Haven. The company is in the process of analyzing options for an updated entertainment venue that may contain a theatre component. No final decisions have been made with respect to the theatre in New Haven, but it is clear that a movie theatre in its current configuration is not a viable business model in the future. Bow Tie is evaluating creative new offerings for the theatre space with a goal to continue entertaining the residents and visitors in New Haven as it has for close to two decades. Stay tuned for something new and exciting!”
When asked earlier this week for a comment on whether or not Bow Tie cinemas will be closing and on what the city is doing to either attract a different movie theater operator or promote a different use for this space, city Economic Development Administrator Mike Piscitelli said, “Bow Tie is a longstanding partner helping to lead the revitalization of New Haven and we are working with the owner and consultant team on a time to review their market analysis and position Bow Tie for success over many years forward.”
The Temple Street movie theater closed for roughly a year and a half at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, reopening for screenings (and to sate the cinematic needs of movie mad individuals like myself and friend Dan Heaton) in August 2021.
It’s potential closure comes roughly a year after the decades-old independent movie theater Ciné 4 on Middletown Avenue shut down and was bought by a local childcare nonprofit.
It also comes roughly a year and a half after Bow Tie sold five movie theaters in Stamford, Norwalk, and Trumbull to AMC Entertainment.
The Bow Tie movie theater on Temple Street is the last remaining commercial cinema in the city that regularly shows new releases. The only other movie screening operation in town is at Yale, which regularly hosts free screenings of film classics.
In the Bow Tie Criterion's front lobby after pandemic reopening in August 2021.
I was there the other week for Asteroid City (ugh don’t get me started on that). It was the first time I had been there in years and I’m not going to lie, it’s really not a good movie theater. They mostly play multiplex movies but the screens are small, the sound is shit, and the seats are super unforgiving for someone with long legs.
It’s a real shame we don’t have a real art house theater, a place to see international film or older classics on the big screen.
When you see the amount of culture other “college towns” enjoy, it’s completely flabbergasting why everything around here has to be so mediocre.
Do yourself a favor and travel a little and see how much there is we don’t have around here 😵💫