▼ Culture Last Picture Show The curtain has closed forever on the last dollar movie theater in DFW. BY DANNY GALLAGHER MAY 6, 2022 FRIDAY, COTTON BOWL STADIUM ENTER TO WIN TICKETS FROM D USA Movies 15 in Garland has officially shut off the projectors and closed its doors, ac- cording to the theater’s parent company headquartered in Plano. The 15-screen movie theater’s official A page on the Cinemark website and its Face- book page list the matinee priced movie house as “permanently closed.” The Cinemark Hollywood theater in Garland opened in September 1992 and closed sometime in December, according to CinemaTreasures.org. A Cinemark representative confirmed the closing by email, saying, “The closure of the Hollywood USA Movies 15 theatre is normal course of business and the result of the care- ful and ongoing review of our theatre fleet.” Discount or “dollar movie theaters” ex- clusively offer screenings at a lower price of second-run films that have just completed their initial release runs in cineplexes and larger movie houses. It’s part of a larger trend that’s from the Dallas to the global film going community. The rise of coronavirus brought movie theaters to a standstill in 2020 as audiences were instructed to quarantine in their homes. Massive chains like AMC shut down theaters across the country and even filed for bank- ruptcy in June 2020. The lack of access to movie theaters shifted releases to digital and streaming outlets like HBO Max. Some theaters that were shuttered also found new locations or new owners. The space occupied by the indie movie house The Magnolia operated by Landmark Cine- mas is being turned into The Violet Crown. The Look Dine-In Theater found a new lo- cation on Technology Boulevard and a new owner in 2021. Places like The Texas The- atre expanded its screen space by adding a second floor screening room with 165 seats. However, theaters are far from overcom- DALLASOBSERVER.COM/ FREE/COLDPLAY 10 ing the effects of coronavirus, especially un- der the new omicron variant. A survey released last November by the movie theater industry journal The Quorum asked a more than 2,500 “pre-pandemic theater-goers” nother staple of moviegoing has left the Dallas cinema scene: the dollar movie the- ater. Cinemark Hollywood Courtesy of Cinemark about their movie going habits in the shadow of the pandemic. The majority of re- spondents listed as current moviegoers would be “upset” if theaters went away for good but say prices and safety concerns over COVID-19, are preventing them from going back to theaters. “Theatrical is at a crossroads,” according to the survey. “Just as the studios are re-eval- uating their marketing and distribution strat- egies in the wake of the disruption caused by the pandemic, theaters need to do the same.” ▼ COVID FLUNKING THE SMELL TEST dustry to be hit is the candle industry. Over the holiday season, Amazon shop- A pers who purchased Yankee Candles were unimpressed, to say the least, and ran to the internet in a big showing of disapproval. “All Yankee Candle products I have bought in the past have been fantastic, however, these particular candles gave off relatively no scent,” Amazon shopper and verified buyer Amy Eliz- abeth Taylor said in her online review. “Would compare it to a cheap Walmart brand candle and wouldn’t recommend.” Taylor purchased the balsam and cedar scent, which was not the only scent that was not “up to par” with buyers. On Dec. 29, an Amazon reviewer by the screen name JAM said, “2016 Christmas cookie [scented] candles smelled wonderful. I purchased 3 this year and they didn’t have near the rich cookie fragrance as it did last year and years before. Something is defi- nitely different. Disappointing ... ” JAM failed to take into account in 2016 there was not a global pandemic with a key symptom: anosmia, the medical term for loss of smell. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, loss of smell and taste are common symptoms of COVID-19. For those experiencing a loss of smell, the symptom can last up to six months, sometimes longer. Yankee Candles is not the only big-name corporation to be hit with negative reviews. The discount movie theater Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 in Garland Bath & Body Works has also been victimized by anosmia. “This is usually my go to holiday candle,” reviewer Jo2020 said about holiday-favorite scent winter candy apple. “I buy whatever the limit is on candle day. I just received my supply of winter candy apple in the mail and decided to burn one right away. To my dis- may I can’t even smell the scent! Not sure what has changed with this fragrance, but I will be taking back my 17 unburned candles for a refund! Talk about disappointment!” The omicron variant of COVID is ram- COVID PATIENTS ARE BLAMING CANDLES, AND NOT THEIR NOSES, FOR UNDERWHELMING SCENTS. BY DESIREE GUTIERREZ s the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year, it continues to show no mercy on businesses. The latest in- pantly spreading throughout North Texas. On Dec. 28, Dallas County Judge Clay Jen- kins announced that Dallas County’s Public Health Committee has declared Dallas’ CO- VID-19 threat level red, which indicates a high risk of transmission. Local shops, however, are mostly not hear- ing the same feedback on scented candles that are popping up on online stores. Mariam Reyes of Plano’s Good Hands Wellness sells soy candles embedded with crystals and says so far she has not experienced any comments indicating a lack of smell on her product. Dal- las’ Wicks and Wonder, a soy candle shop, also has not received reviews stating there is no scent in their candles. Grecia Alfaro of Dallas business Cosmic Grounding, however, says she’s gotten feed- back from customers indicating a lack of scent, which she attributes to COVID-19. “I’ve had clients tell me they don’t smell [the candles] even though their families smell it,” Alfaro says. “I also have a family member who already had asthma contract COVID-19 back in March 2020 and they do not smell my candles. I would say 1 [to] 3 out of 100 [customers] have reported this issue.” The shop owner does not ask unfavorable reviewers whether they’ve had COVID-19 or experienced symptoms. Cosmic Grounding sells eco-friendly soy candles poured into upcycled containers sourced from thrift stores and authentic taci- tas, bowls sourced directly from Mexico. Their scent isn’t as strong as paraffin candles, but Alfaro knows firsthand that feedback can correlate to symptoms of COVID-19. “Since [her family member] came into my home every now and then, she definitely does not smell anything. … she most cer- tainly does not smell my candles or anything at all,” Alfaro says. JANUARY 13-19, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.com
