Big Boy Business...and Big Boy Risk

Some of you know my story.

For those who don't, I'm a pathologically risk-averse, hyper-calculated, bootstrapper.

And I don't have much reason to depart from this approach; I've built two self-supporting businesses over the last 6 years without loans, outside (or inside) financial investments, and without missing a single paycheck each time I transitioned from day job to biz owner.

But, here's the thing: they were service-based businesses.

All I needed to start was a skillset and somebody who wanted to pay me for the output of the skillset. Being a single-ish, childless, late-20-year-old, my living expenses were minimal. My "ramen profitable" number was something like $3k/month. That's one sale a month. Easy.

And it was! Both times. Easy.

The rest of the story isn't "I hated bowing to clients." or "I hated selling my soul." I love service. I'm good at serving, and people paid me more and more as proof.

No, the rest of the story is simply that I had a different idea. And this idea just doesn't lend itself to low risk, slow grow, bootstrapping.

This idea needs 3000-6000 square feet of space.

This idea needs something like $20k of fancy schmancy furniture and high tech equipment.

This idea requires frequent license fees, and lawyer fees to tell me the license fees were paid rightly.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in the age of COVID, I'm opening up a movie theater.

But hear me out:

This ain't no regular movie theater. This is your living room. But it's not your living room. It's a movie theater.

Head hurting yet?

Here's the bet:

The traditional movie theater model has been dying long before COVID sauntered over to deal a death blow. Sure, box office revenue has steadily climbed year after year, but guess what...ticket sales have dropped steadliy at almost exactly an inverse rate. It's the inflated price of tickets that been keeping this zombie monstrosity lumbering along. But it was always headed for a cliff.

And here we are (I believe). At the edge. Don't believe me? Here are today's google news headlines for keywords AMC, Regal Cinemas, and Cinemark

"Bridgeport Village threatens to terminate lease of Regal Cinemas, its largest tenant, for unpaid rent"

"Cinemark Sues Insurer for $400 Million in Covid-Related Losses"

"The Show Must Go On, But Not For AMC Stock"

Did I mention this was just for today? I did? Should I say it again anyway?

Yes?

THIS IS ALL JUST FROM TODAY!!!

That felt good.

Anyhoo, this is clearly a sign. But I'm no fool, it's not some prophecy that I must do something silly in a big money way. It's just a sign that things really won't go back to normal for this industry. CineMARK my words ;-)

Now, here's the play:

Remember how I said this wasn't just about COVID? It is my experience and the experience of an ever-expanding group of people that the old movie theater model wasn't delivering the glitz it used to. The allure of sitting in a dark room with a hundred strangers has faded (hard to believe, I know).

But ALSO, we have not been perfectly satisfied with streaming either. Sure, it was 900 of the thousand cuts that have been dealt to Big Cinema, but I'm personally still missing something. And no, it's not fucking electronic recliner seats.

I'm missing the SOCIAL aspect of cinema.

I'm missing the dinner parties before we pop a flick on at a buddy's house.

I'm missing the after-chat of high-brow intellectual conversation with friends and family after the challenging social commentary of "I am Not Your Negro" hangs still thick damp in the air.

These experiences are not meant for solitary indulgence.

And conversely, these experiences lose weight when shared with too many strangers.

I want to watch Animal House with my dad, my brother, and a handful of other lovably shitty idiots when they come into town for the weekend.

I want to watch Game of Thrones every fucking week on the big screen with my group of die-hards.

I want to sit on a fucking couch bundled in a blanket and eat buffalo wings and pizza off a coffee table.

I want to experience new stories with people I have a strong feeling will feel just as strongly about the stories.

I want to revel in nostalgia with with people that WERE there the time the nostalgia was born.

Oh, and I want to be safe and social in a semi-trustworthy <10 person virus bubble and go to the movies. That's an angle, surely.

I want other things too, but I'll keep this long post short(er).

I've begun the research. I've started testing this renting out independent theater with BYO-DVD offerings.

It's working. Some people are paying. Will more? Will enough more?

YOUR TURN:

I really do need your help. I'm grappling with plenty of financial considerations, but maybe we start smaller with y'all:

First reaction. Good idea? Fucked? What might take it from "fucked" to "good"?

How do you "movie go"? How has this changed over the last 10 years? To what do YOU attribute it?