After a long 25 years, Reading Cinemas in Rohnert Park has officially shut down. Many people were shocked, considering the company had not said anything in regards to the closing until they posted papers around their windows less than a month prior to their final show date on October 31st. The unwarned patrons of the theater were confused as there was no clear reason for the closing, and the company owners and theater representatives were unavailable for commenting, according to both the Press Democrat and KSRO articles on the topic. With that, many people have asked, “Why did the beloved theater close?”
First opened on November 20th of 1998, the building opened as a Pacific Theaters branch Then, in 2008, Reading Cinemas bought the place, going through a name change before closing in 2023. But so far, no comments have been made by any officials from the company, nor any employees of the theater on the close. Whether the company went bankrupt, or their hires weren’t doing well us unknown, but a full report from a spokesperson is wished for by many from around the Rohnert Park area.
Many people have memories of the theater, from its movies to its arcade, which has led to heavy speculations on its shut down. Junior Joshua Barajas theorized, “They closed the cinema due to sketchy people.” Others are just sad to lose a staple attraction in the Rohnert Park area. Casa Graduate Jasmine Sigmann said “I haven’t been there in years, and I’m kinda sad I can’t go again. Everything was vintage and cool; it had good nostalgia.” As time passes, some people will grow to forget the theater, yet some will always have a place for it in their memories.
Several weeks have already gone by since the final showing of the theater. Its tarped windows with their ‘closing’ signs show no signs of entry from the public, and its many closed doors remain locked. Sadly, Reading Cinemas’s reasons for closing the theater remain a mystery to the many fans of the theater.
