Famous Hopkins discount movie theatre permanently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions

I first moved to Minnesota end of October of 2019.  So, during that first winter, I often frequented the Mann Hopkins Cinema 6 on Mainstreet. It is the establishment that helped me get acquainted with winter living in Minnesota. The movie theatre which has been in operation since the early 1990s had been famous for showing movies past their first-run window at a discount.

However, last month management announced that this theatre will be permanently closed.  Currently, this is the message displayed on the website of  Hopkins Cinema 6

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Mann Theatres Hopkins Cinema 6 will cease operations effective immediately, Friday November 20, 2020.

Back in late March, like many businesses, movie theaters entered a period of forced closures as the U.S. went into lockdown to contain the coronavirus. It wasn’t until June 10, when movie theaters in Minnesota were allowed to reopen with seating capacity limited to 25%.

While Hopkins Cinema 6 did all it could to adjust, it is not enough to stay afloat, and we sadly join a growing number of small businesses and movie theatres closing permanently.

Hopkins Cinema 6 has been a proud community partner in the Hopkins area for over 20 years. We have watched the downtown area grow by leaps and bounds, and have enjoyed serving the Hopkins community.

We’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to our property managers, Bill Beard & Paul Gamst of Beard Group Inc. for their tremendous support and compassion during these unprecedented times. We also want to thank all of the wonderful guests, friends, and amazing staff members who have been a part of this special 20 year run.

Up to date, I had held hope for a possible takeover of the business, possibly by another entity. However, just recently Star Tribune reported that the owners of the building plan to turn it into an apartment complex. Thus cementing the end of Mann cinema as part of downtown Hopkins.

Life won’t be the same

It is one thing for businesses to close because the market deems them unprofitable. That just signals that the resources invested in that business are better off invested somewhere else. However, this is no the case with most businesses that have closed this year. Government-mandated restrictions have pushed them out of business.

In fact, a lot of cinemas during the lockdown have made numerous efforts to stay in business. Theatres tailored business offerings to match restrictions by, for instance, offering pick-up services for snack offerings. Mann Hopkins was one of those theatres. But alas, there is only so much take out popcorn customers can buy.

What essentially makes this a huge loss is the big role that the cinema played in the Hopkins community. Up until its closure, Mann theatre was a big fixture in the Hopkins community. Sadly due to mandates that are not supported by the data,  the lives of numerous people, mine included will be significantly changed and never return to normal.