2 Theaters in Berkshire County Now Open

An increase in online ticket sales. Takeout service at the concession stands. Seating capacity restrictions. And lots and lots of cleaning.

Such is the new normal at the North Adams Movieplex 8 in the era of COVID-19 since it reopened Aug. 27.

"It's working out well," said General Manager Scott Ingalls. "Nobody has any complaints."

But, he adds, "We aren't getting a lot of people."

The Movieplex is one of only two Berkshire movie theater complexes that have reopened under the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic — Regal Cinemas at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough is the other. The owners of the county's other movie venues have all taken a wait-and-see attitude toward reopening as they grapple with the constantly changing information being released about the virus.

Ingalls said the Movieplex decided to reopen when the cinema complex had some new content to run — Marvel Studios finally released "The New Mutants," originally scheduled for release in April, on Aug. 28. But, the state's seating-capacity standards have hampered business.

Read the rest of the story details now on The Berkshire Eagle.Com.