"It's true that Julie Blonshteyn and Catherine Moraetis no longer have anything to do with this property we will have exciting news for the community soon," Stone said. "This is a big loss for the culture of Eugene-Springfield."ĭarren Stone, a co-owner of the Jennings Group, which acts as the property manager, confirmed Blonshteyn and her business partner, Catherine Moraetis, were no longer involved with the business. "It was one of the first places to share LGBTQ+ positive storytelling, or to introduce plots that don't neatly follow conventional movie beats, or to bring the lives of people in foreign countries or isolated communities to brilliant life for us regular folks in Lane County," McDaniel said. The Bijou represented an important part of the Eugene-Springfield community, she said, as one of the only sources of independent movies that were not mainstream and blockbusters. Springfield resident Staci McDaniel, 44, said she remembers going to see "Dazed and Confused," when employees said those who "felt inspired" to smoke marijuana in the theater would cause the film to end, but that "smoke coming from the courtyard isn't as alarming, and none of us are going to tattle to the police." Past moviegoing attendees lamented the end of the business in emails to The Register-Guard , recalling fond memories of quirky films, dates that went wrong or led to lifelong partnerships, and more.ĬAFE 541: Lane County an emerging film industry destination 13th Ave., had been showing movies on its two screens since 1981. It closed at the start of the pandemic and never reopened. The Bijou, an independent movie theater in the Wilcox Building at 492 E. ![]() "I feel privileged to have been a steward for this beloved Eugene institution for the past eight years, but the current circumstances make continuing our operations impossible." "It is with great sadness that I must announce the closing of the Bijou Art Cinemas," theater operator Julie Blonstheyn wrote in a letter to its patrons on Friday. Sign up for our Events Newsletter.The operators of Bijou Art Cinemas announced they are permanently closing the iconic Eugene movie theater, following financial challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing disputes with its landlord, the management company Jennings Group. Get our top picks for the best events in San Antonio every Thursday morning. The latest turn for the Bijou also comes after an announcement late last year from the city of Balcones Heights that it was spending $5.4 million on a 46% ownership stake in the mall. Those theaters now operate as Santikos Westlakes, which began showing movies again last month, and Santikos New Branfuels, which resumed last summer. The Bijou's reported closure follows a buying spree by Santikos, which absorbed and reopened two of the Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse chain's local outlets. It took over after longtime operator Regal Cinemas shuttered the location, which it also operated as an arthouse property. Santikos has operated the theater since 2003, devoting some of its screens to foreign and art films while bolstering sales with food and alcohol. However, the Bijou no longer appears on the San Antonio-based theater operator's website, which lists 10 other area holdings. ![]() ![]() The Current was unable to reach Santikos Entertainment for comment. A sign posted Monday at the Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro, the long-running arthouse theater inside Wonderland of the Americas mall, has announced its closure, news site MySA reports. The Bijou is located inside Wonderland of the Americas mall.
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