Operator Signs Lease to Re-open Mt. Kisco Movie Theatre
The Mt. Kisco Movie Theatre will be reopening after one of the property owners announced Thursday evening that there is a new tenant to take over the space.
Christina Martabano, who posted about the development for the venue at 144 E. Main St., said Friday that the operator has signed a lease and would be revealed as soon as next week. Movie screenings will be the primary focus but the facility may also host other types of events, she said.
“It’s not one of the major players, it’s not that type of company, but it’s somebody who wants to get involved in distribution and I think some other art-type functions there,” Martabano said.
Currently, there is no time frame for when the Mt. Kisco Movie Theatre is scheduled to reopen, she said.
The theater has been closed since COVID-19 forced the shutdown of virtually all venues in March 2020. Six months later, it was learned that Bow Tie Cinemas, which had been the previous operator, would not be reopening the site when movie theaters were allowed to reopen last fall.
Mayor Gina Picinich said the community is excited about the theater’s return because over the years it has become a gathering place for generations of village residents.
“It’s a rite of passage for children when they get to a certain age,” Picinich said. “They get to walk to a movie theater, maybe grab some pizza, get to be with their friends. There’s so much to it as part of the culture of our community, so having it reopen is very important.”
As of Friday morning, there had not yet been a request received by the village’s Building Department for any work or renovations that would be needed, she said. Picinich mentioned that the village would prefer for the new operator to maintain the retro-style marquee that on East Main Street.
The most difficult challenge is telling local residents that there will be a period of time before people can start heading to the movies again, the mayor said.
“I think that’s going to be the hardest part of this, setting expectations of folks. that it’s reopening, it’s just that we’re not there yet,” Picinich said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/