Back to Basics

When we first opened the candy shop, we had big dreams. We pictured a fun little spot that was open during the day, bringing in people who might not even be coming for a movie. A place you could swing by for a bag of popcorn or a box of sweets just because.

But life happens. Both of us ended up with new 9–5 jobs, and the idea of keeping daytime candy shop hours just wasn’t realistic anymore. Still, we kept trying—offering a big selection, stocking up on drinks and candy for what we hoped would be a busy summer.

Except… summer didn’t exactly cooperate. Attendance was slow, maybe because the weather was so nice, maybe because Hollywood keeps churning out the same kinds of movies that just aren’t drawing crowds right now. Or maybe I’m just bad at picking them. Either way, we were left with shelves full of product and cash flow feeling the pinch.

We decided to scale back. For the rest of the summer, we’re going back to basics: a good selection of core products and traditional theater snacks. No overstocking, no overcomplicating. Just doing the essentials—and doing them well. We even took the candy shelves down, which surprisingly opened up the lobby and gave it a nice, clean, open feel. Next step—getting our “Coming Soon” movie posters back up where they belong.

It’s not just the candy shop that’s changing—our movie lineup is, too. Most of the films we booked this summer came with a three-week required run. In a small town, that’s tough. By week two, almost everyone who wants to see it already has, and by week three… well, let’s just say I get a lot of alone time.

June’s lineup was packed with remakes and sequels: Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon (both remakes), Mission: Impossible, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Karate Kid Legends—all sequels from tired franchises. Add in Thunderbolts, Superman, and Fantastic Four, and it was a summer heavy on superheroes and light on surprises.

So, we’re switching things up for the next few weeks. I’ve been told horror movies perform well in Fort Kent, though I haven’t had much luck with them personally—probably because I don’t watch them myself and never quite know what to book. But I’m giving it a shot. Coming soon: Weapons, The Conjuring: Last Rites, and the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. I also booked The Toxic Avenger—not exactly horror, but it’s bloody and gory enough to keep the horror fans happy.

And because balance is important, I’ve also lined up a few films that are just plain good stories: The Senior, Truth & Treason, and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

Sometimes you have to experiment. Sometimes you have to scale back. And sometimes you have to do both at the same time. That’s where we’re at right now—simplifying where it makes sense, and taking a few risks where it might just pay off.