Landmark's Embassy Cinema in Waltham closes after nearly 100 years in business
WALTHAM - For nearly a century, Landmark's Embassy Theatre in Waltham brought a lot of excitement to moviegoers. Now it's shutting down due to lack of ticket sales.
"Today is our last day open to the public," said assistant manager Andy Johnson. "Since COVID, trying to get people to come back to the theatre has been difficult."
The Los Angeles Company that owns the theatre says the decline in ticket sales are behind the decision to close. The theatre opened up nearby in 1928 then came to Pine Street.
Johnson says the staff was told on Friday they are shutting down the Waltham location permanently.
"It's always felt like a community," Johnson said. "It's always felt like the people you work with and customers who come in. You get some regulars who you see. We had one customer who we would see every single day Monday through Saturday."
For Johnson, this hits close to home...literally. He actually lives directly across the street. He's a teacher by day and runs the theatre in the evening.
"It's easier for me to walk from my apartment to here than it is for me to walk from my apartment to my car," Johnson said.
Before the pandemic the theatre used to sell out 1,600 seats a night. "The worst I've seen recently is probably around 40 for the day," Johnson said.
Johnson says after working there for so many years, one of the hardest things will be saying goodbye to his coworkers. The last movie was played at 7:25 Monday night.
"It's going to be a sad moment," Johnson said.
Johnson says there will be no sequels to this story, only memories.
