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After Nearly 100 Years Of Business, Narberth Theater Launches GoFundMe In Hopes Of Staying Open

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- The pandemic has hammered small businesses all over, including theaters. One small neighborhood theater says it might not be able to survive.

The nearly century-old Narberth Theater is turning to the community in hopes of surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With no relief in sight, months of shutdowns and capacity limits could shutter the rare, two-screen movie theater for good. 

"We love the theater, we walk everywhere and it's such a treat to be able to walk to a movie," said Narberth resident Linda Pitts. 

Longtime operator Greg Wax of Reel Cinemas, Inc., says it's impossible to be profitable under Pennsylvania's current 10% capacity limit for theaters, which was reduced from 25% just before Thanksgiving. 

"For some reason we're looked at almost like a bar that's 1,000 square feet, and, but yet, we're 4,000 square feet," he said. "But we still can't have any more people than them. It just doesn't make sense."

The historic theater opened in 1927. Wax's father bought it in 1970, and it has been the family business ever since. Wax says the theater has always given back to Narberth.

Now, it's difficult but necessary to be the one asking for help. 

"We took a loan and we got some PPP money so that we could keep some of the staff employed, but now it's running out," Wax said. "It's very expensive to keep a movie theater open."

He started a GoFundMe page a few days ago. In that time, it has raised nearly $12,000 of its $100,000 goal.

"There are not that many neighborhood movie theaters left," Wax said. "So we're just looking for a hand."

"We're all trying to shop in our beautiful stores here in Narberth and we've been eating in all the local restaurants and here's another victim of COVID and we hope to save the theater," Pitt said. 

Another way to help is by actually going to see a movie. The theater is currently open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is showing "The Croods: A New Age" and new release romantic drama, "All My Life."

Click here for more information on tickets and showtimes.

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