Mark O’Meara has endured blizzards, hurricanes and economic recessions. Even in three feet of snow, he’s managed to keep the lights on at University Mall and Cinema Arts, the two movie …
Mark O’Meara has endured blizzards, hurricanes and economic recessions. Even in three feet of snow, he’s managed to keep the lights on at University Mall and Cinema Arts, the two movie theaters he owns in Fairfax, Va. But for the first time in 29 years, he had to close his doors as the“It’s horrible,” O’Meara said. “All my life, I’ve had all kinds of tragedies, but I’ve never had a problem missing a meal or sleeping. This has been bugging me. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night.
“We have a parking lot the width of a sidewalk and nobody else is open, so there’s plenty of space,” he said. “I’ll do what I can to get these kids paid.” “Everyone is home, and nobody has anything to do except check Facebook,” he said. “We’ve gotten tons of likes and comments and they’re all telling people, so it’s spreading.”
It’s not just his employees who have to worry about paying the bills. There’s massive uncertainty over when theaters across the country might be able to reopen, and O’Meara is concerned about making ends meet. The entire movie business — from mom-and-pop venues to larger chains like AMC, Regal and Cinemark — is feeling the pressure and could struggle if “stay at home” measures extend longer than expected. O’Meara operates with a “glass half-full” mentality and says his place as “a cornerstone of the community” is advantageous.
“I had tears in my eyes when I read those,” he said. “Customers say, ‘You don’t understand how much this place means to me.'”
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