Anderson movie theaters have closed, saddening surrounding businesses in outlet mall

The city of Anderson’s only movie theater has gone dark.

Valley 11 Cinemas in the Shasta Gateway outlet center closed earlier this month after more than 10 years of showing first-run movies.

The multiplex took up a big chunk of the shopping center’s east side and it generated business for the strip mall that is located just off Interstate 5.

For the restaurants in Shasta Gateway, dinner and a movie was a thing, so the movie theater will be missed.

“It’s huge,” Charlew’s Tap House co-owner Kathy Byerly said Thursday afternoon as she sat inside her restaurant.

Byerly looked out at the many open parking spaces between her restaurant and the empty movie theater.

“In the daytime, this parking lot is pretty full because, you know, people would go (to movies) in the daytime,” she said.

And after the movie, Byerly said Valley 11 customers might walk over to her restaurant for a bite to eat. It was not uncommon for movie-goers to grab dinner before catching a night feature at the theater. "Yeah, it's not good," she said of the theater's demise.

It’s not the first time the theater in the outlet center has closed. In October 2011, the movie theater —— then called Prime 11 Cinemas — closed unexpectedly. In 2006, Prime 11 opened in the shopping center, bringing back a movie theater to Anderson after Gateway Cinema on Balls Ferry Road had closed in 1997.

The theater in the outlet mall reopened in December 2011 as Valley 11 Cinemas, under the ownership of The Reel Theatre, an Idaho-based company that operates other locations in Idaho, Oregon and Utah, according to its website.

The Reel Theatre did not reply to an email seeking comment.

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On Facebook, Valley 11 Cinemas thanked the community for its support over the years. "It is with profound gratitude and a sense of nostalgia that we share the news of the permanent closure of Valley 11 Cinemas, effective Thursday, April 11th, 2024. For over 12 remarkable years, we have had the privilege of serving the vibrant Anderson community, a journey that commenced on Friday, December 16, 2011," the post in part said.

Corey Klug, Shasta Gateway’s operations manager, said the movie theater wasn’t bringing in enough income from concessions. In talking to theater management, Klug said they made a small portion of income off ticket sales after factoring in labor and other overhead.

“It’s all off of concessions and people just don’t buy the concessions there. They would go to other places and buy (candy and snacks) and sneak them in,” Klug said.

The movie theater industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and foot traffic still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to news reports.

Viewing habits have also impacted movie theaters with the growing popularity and abundance of streaming services available to the consumer. People can stream first-run features from their living room while the same movie is still in theaters.

To entice people into a movie theater, the experience has become about more than just the movie. Some theaters have incorporated restaurants and bars. For comfort, large padded reclining chairs have upgraded the movie-watching experience.

A few years back, Cinemark 14 in Redding started selling alcohol. Customers can enjoy that tub of popcorn with a pint of IPA or glass of red wine.

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Meanwhile, Byerly of Charlew’s Tap House in Anderson is envisioning ways to market her restaurant in the wake of the theater’s closure.

“I am trying to think outside the box right now, redoing my patio, making banners and flags, maybe bring in Thursday night entertainment,” Byerly said.She added: “Hopefully somebody goes in there (the empty theater space) and takes over because people are really, really upset."

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on X, formerly Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: This Shasta County city has lost its only movie theater