The announcement yesterday that Arclight Cinemas is closing permanently hit the film industry like no other recent news.
Arclight, which also operates Pacific Cinemas, announced that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic led to the decision to permanently shutter operations at the company’s theaters.
Boston waited patiently for three years for our Arclight Cinemas location, located at The Hub @ North Station, and it had barely opened before COVID caused the nationwide shutdown of all theater chains for months on end. I am not sure of the exact opening date, but I think Arclight Boston got all of maybe SIX WEEKS worth of business in before the shutdown. Although Kim and I never managed to make it to the location in the short time it was open, I saw the photos they posted, and it was a GLORIOUS theatre.
Some Hollywood bigwigs – executives, entertainers, and others – are already trying to start some sort of campaign to help keep Arclight afloat. It’s always possible that another chain, or even one of the studios, could step in. And since Boston’s location is a brand new facility, I would think another chain might jump at the chance to rebrand it. But for now, Boston has lost its newest theater, yet another victim of the pandemic…
Arclight Boston, we hardly knew ye…here’s hoping others can rebound…