Two weeks after the last movie was shown at the one-screen theatre on June 5, Michael “Lucky” Cohen of Englewood started a gofundme account to ask the public for donations to go towards the purchase of a new NEC NC-900C-A cinema projector and for the theatre’s renovation costs. The public can keep track of the donations online by searching Saving The Englewood Cinema at www.gofundme.com.
As of Friday, the account had raised $170 of the $60,000 goal.
“The theatre for me is a way for me to give back ultimately and hugely on a community level,” said Cohen of why he wanted to obtain the local theatre. “I really just want people to come in here and have just as much fun as they’ve had in that place for the last 37 years.”
Cohen, a former Houston police officer, said he used to patronize the movie theatre.
If his plans to obtain the movie theatre work out, he and fiancée Elizabeth “Ginger” Madison plan to have licensed showings of older movies and Japanese Anime movies, plus do events centered around families.
“Our goal is to make this a community business,” Cohen said.
He said he wants to use the theatre to highlight the accomplishments of local heroes and students.
“We want to partner with a lot of local businesses to create new relationships,” he said.
Barry Weaver, who co-owns the shopping center with his father Harrison Weaver, said he was pleased and encouraged by the fact that Cohen was interested in reopening the theatre, which first opened in 1976 with 304 seats.
“We think he would be a good fit for operating the theatre,” Weaver said of Cohen. “Some of Mike’s history and background would work very well towards supporting a multifaceted approach to operating a movie theatre.”
Weaver, who also operated the theatre from 1978 to 1993, added that he believes Cohen’s interest in comics, independent filmmakers, Star Wars and Star Trek, will help him appeal to a broader audience.
Cohen said he has never owned a movie theatre but does have 20 years of experience in the entertainment business. The 1997 Trotwood-Madison High School graduate owns a hobby business called Lucky Promotions, which gave him the opportunity to book events all across the country and overseas with musicians.
“In the last eight years, I had been booking with comic, science fiction and animation conventions,” Cohen said.
“We think that with Mr. Cohen’s contacts, his background and his plans for promoting the theatre makes him a good fit for operating that theatre,” Weaver said. “The independent movie theatre business these days is tough.”
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