Theater Brings a New Audience to Downtown

With the spotlight on the just-opened Century 10 theater Saturday, the lights went down . . . all the way down.

During the third day of its grand opening celebration, the downtown theater’s power went out briefly Saturday afternoon, providing an unexpected intermission.

But the show was back on after 15 minutes, and most moviegoers--placated by passes for a future film--chose to stick around.

Other than that, there have been few glitches at the theater many hope will revive the city’s downtown.

Some restaurants say they are already seeing benefits from the theater and may adjust their hours to attract moviegoers.

For those looking for a late patty melt or piece of pie on weekends, the Busy Bee Cafe may stay open until midnight or even all night, owner Gabrielle Esquibias said.

“I’ve been here since 1963,” Esquibias said. “We’ve been waiting since 1963 for them to do something here.”

Even businesses less associated with moviegoing, such as Natalie’s Fine Threads across the street from the new theater, had “tons of people” stopping in before or after a film, owner Denise Sindelar said.

Sindelar said her clothing store will extend its hours for the holidays and to accommodate shopping moviegoers.

“Downtown’s been the same for so long,” she said. “It’s great to have some vitality now.”

And at Times Remembered, one of Ventura’s many antique and collectibles stores, Friday night--the theater’s first official day of business--was busier than usual.

Still, owner Joe Lavook said, it’s too early to say whether things will be consistently busier or whether the theater’s novelty will wear off.

“We don’t know if it’s going to be like this all the time,” he said. But, Lavook added, “If it’s anything like this, we may open on Saturday nights, too.”

Added store manager Shoshanah Finegold: “I drove down here last night, and it was like Santa Barbara--on a slow night.”

Saturday traffic on Main Street did seem close to Santa Barbara proportions. Century 10’s first day of weekend business began early with the less-than-traditional combination of breakfast and a movie, which drew about 500 people for an 8 a.m. block party, followed by free films.

“It’s never too early for popcorn,” said theater concession cashier Bill Beverlin, who was ringing up the usual movie snacks--along with a few black coffees.

Outside, the morning people munched on danish and scones and sipped orange juice before heading into the newly opened multiplex for their choice of eight second-run movies. About 1,500 free tickets were available, but many seats went empty.

“On our end, to be able to get 500 people to walk through the doors at 9 a.m. is a feat,” theater manager Ryan Weinstock said, adding that he is not one of the morning people.

Families made up much of the crowd.

While their parents sat in the back, sisters Danielle and Lauren Whitford had second-row seats for “Madeline.”

“I think we’re going to keep going to this theater, ‘cause it’s closer to us than Century 16,” said Lauren, referring to the larger cinema on Johnson Drive.

Michael McMahon, 7, said he got up at 6:58 a.m. to see “Lost in Space.”

Michael, who is 4 feet tall, usually picks a front row seat “because I don’t have to look over people’s heads.” But being close also makes his neck sore. In one of Century 10’s smaller theaters with sloped seating, he said, the seat “was higher than the other theaters so I didn’t have to sit in the front row to see good.”

A Ventura woman was less happy with her experience at the new movie house.

From the back row of a near-empty theater Friday evening, Elizabeth Burris watched “Soldier,” starring Kurt Russell. But when Burris and her husband, Mike, got up to leave, she realized someone had stolen $900--most of the cash from her husband’s paycheck--from her backpack.

Burris reported the theft to police and to the theater’s management, which had heard of no other thefts.

Century and the city hope that the new 1,800-seat theater will draw more west county movie patrons to downtown Ventura and keep them there for other entertainment and shopping.

More activity downtown is also likely to attract new businesses. Along with the theater, there are seven retail spaces in the 52,000-square-foot building at Main and Chestnut streets. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Kelly’s Coffee and Fudge and Juice Shack may move in by Thanksgiving, said Doug Halter, head of the Downtown Community Council. Quizno’s Classic Subs is expected to sign a lease soon.

“This is a major milestone for downtown,” Halter said. “This effort to revive downtown is absolutely not going to fail.”

Calling the theater “the best addition we’ve seen come to downtown in years,” Halter said he also noticed increased traffic downtown Friday night.

“People were walking to their cars, but they were looking in windows,” he said.