Miamisburg theatre reopens, finds new ways to boost revenue

Similar to many businesses across the country, the Historic Plaza Theatre was forced to close its doors when the coronavirus pandemic started.

The Miamisburg theater originally closed in 1968 and became a retail store. After that closed in 2002, it was renovated and reopened again as a theater in 2015.

Having only been reopened for five years, the strain of the having to close their doors for a year even more extreme.

“We’ve only been open five years and we really don’t have an endowment built up of money that we can fall back on,” said thearter board member Doug Sorrell.

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According to Sorrell, the theater was only able to break even the past two years.

Now, in compliance with COVID restrictions, only one in every four of the 296 seats can be filled.

To help increase profits while operating under COVID restrictions, the theater has started selling cutouts to fill the unoccupied seats. Funds from the cutouts will be used to fix a leak that happened during this year’s winter weather.

Sorrell credits the community’s support for getting the theater through the pandemic. He hopes they can return the favor for years to come.

“I don’t know what the future of this building will be, but hopefully it’s some place where families can come and enjoy themselves what whatever entertainment it is at that point,” Sorrell said.

Cox Media Group