Exhibitors Herald (1927)

40 BETTER THEATRES SECTION OF December 24, 1927 The New Minusa Screen On Real Fabric Minusa De Luxe Special Screens are now constructed on a specially woven fabric which is imported. The quality and Durability of this canvas is positively unequalled. It is free from raised or broken threads, withstands any ordinary abuse to which a screen is subjected, and is absolutely CP uncture-Troof With this fabric and our new finishing process the De Luxe surface is so perfectly built that accurate projection is always assured. Write for Samples Minusa Cine Screen Company Bomont at Morgan Saint Louis THE BEST 'MINUSA^ De Luxe Special SINCE 1914 “Kaus-a-Lite” Seats Patrons Quietly! The well lighted theatre aisle is essential to the safety of patrons. “Kaus-a-Lite” seats patrons quietly — efficiently — without annoyance to those already seated. Write today for particulars. KAUSAL1TE MANUFACTURING CO. 8129 Rhodes Ave. Chicago Adaptable to any kind of teat. Fits directly under arm of r • 7 TT7 • 7 7 f aisle chair. Light W ithout a Lrlare! WE CAN’T MAKE ALL THE REFLECTOR ARC LAMPS SO WE ONLY MAKE THE BEST PERFECTION ARC COMPANY, Inc. 711 Wells St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin It’s the Same Old Story ! Theatre Beneficial ( Continued from page 30) and city they are from. Do not choose a time when it is Chicago peoples’ day. Clinton, la. By F. R. KLEEBERGER Secretary, Chamber of Commerce There is no question but what the motion picture theatre attracts people to our city and the more people who pass our places of business the greater are the possibilities of the merchant. Our theatres operate' every day in the week. Grand Rapids, Minn. By C. C. PETERSON Secretary, Commercial Club Value to the business section: Only in a general way. Undoubtedly brings business to cafes and refreshment parlors, which in turn reverts to the general business of the town. Theatre is “dead” in daytime when the business houses are open and patrons come to town after they are closed for the day. One theatre, a better than the average. Open every night of the week. Duluth, Minn. By C. E. THOMPSON Secretary, Chamber of Commerce Responding to your letter concerning the influence of the motion picture theatre on local business conditions. This question is one of rather broad significance and cannot be answered by a simple affirmative or negative, so far as any given locality is concerned. The Duluth theatres operate seven days each week and are advantageously situated so that they are able to draw customers from the territory within a radius of 40 to 50 miles, but it is possible that this condition would not obtain were there another city of equal attraction or of other lines of interest, such as better stores or equally good stores within a reasonable distance. We feel that such a city would counteract any influence which a theatre, no matter how attractive it might be, would exert. Following out this line of thought, it would probably be true that a city located in an isolated district where there were no other cities to distract trade for a radius of 100 miles, that that city would then be able to attract, either through its superior stores or better theatres, the customers from the entire district. Our own experience from actual theatre installations in different parts of'our city points to the fact that the theatre does not attract other business establishments. Understand me, however, that this opinion or view would not apply in a city of the first class, i. e., one containing one-half million or more population. Illustrating our opinion as given above, we might cite for your information the city of Minneapolis. The old Lyceum theatre was at one time remodeled and opened as a picture house and was at that time surrounded by business establishments of various kinds and that, within a period of three years, many of these business houses have closed their doors and the theatre is now surrounded by empty store buildings. If you are familiar with the Chicago situation surrounding the Tivoli theatre, or the district surrounding the Roxy theatre in New York, you will have no