Micon to take over Oakwood Mall theater

Chris Vetter, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

Nov. 11—EAU CLAIRE — Micon Cinemas, which already operates three theaters in the Chippewa Valley, has signed a lease to take over operations at the theater in Oakwood Mall.

Micon Cinemas co-owner and vice president Connie Olson said they signed the lease last Friday. While she doesn't have a date for when they hope to re-open, her goal is to have movies showing by the end of the month.

"It's exciting," she said. "It gives us a few more options, with a few more screens to bring something different in, like some of the Academy Award films."

There are a few obstacles to get it back open. Olson was making calls Thursday, trying to track down a new popcorn machine, as the popper in the former AMC Classic is outdated.

"They took pretty much everything out of there," she said. "We do have the projectors, which is the important thing. For me, I'm in the process of talking with our booker to find out what we need to do (to get more films.)"

AMC Classic Oakwood 12, which took over the theater in 2016, closed suddenly the first weekend of October. Olson said they wound up hiring several of the AMC's employees, and that should help, as they know the building. However, they now need to also hire more staffing to operate all four locations.

Connie's husband, Mike Olson, actually helped open the Oakwood Mall theater in 1986 and served as general manager there, before they opened their own business and first location in Chippewa Falls Stadium Eight in 2004.

"It's surreal to be in there, and walking around," she said. "I hadn't been in there since 2003. For Mike, it's like deja vu, being back at the mall. It's been 18 years."

Both the Micon Cinemas theaters in Eau Claire (by Festival Foods) and in Chippewa Falls at the NorthRidge Center now have recliner seating.

"When we went to recliners at Micon 7 (in Eau Claire), that cut the number of seats we have in half," she explained. "We know we are 'under-seated' for going into the holiday season, for everyone who wants to see 'Black Panther' or 'Avatar.'"

Micon Cinemas also recently signed up to show programming offered by Fathom Events, to go along with the variety of movies. Micon Cinemas also owns the downtown Eau Claire theater, which they purchased in 2010. In 2014, they refurbished the building, adding tables, a kitchen and alcoholic beverages. (The state Legislature approved a measure in 2011 that allowed movie theaters to seek liquor or beer licenses.) The theater also converted from using film to digital projection.