After a 43-year run Merrill’s Roxy Cinema in Burlington is closing, leaving the city without a commercial movie theater.
The local theater announced the news Thursday in a Facebook post, and expressed gratitude for everyone who visited the theater over the past few decades. The company did not share a closing date.
“We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who have supported us over the years,” the company wrote. “From regular moviegoers to first-time visitors, your presence and passion have meant everything to us.”
Originally built and opened in 1981, the theater has had numerous owners over the years, including USA Cinemas and Hoyts Theaters, according to Cinema Treasures. In 2003, Merrill Jarvis III bought and reopened the theater under its new name, Merrill’s Roxy Cinema.
The Jarvis family once owned 13 movie theaters across northeast Vermont, most of which were located in Chittenden County, according to Seven Days. With the closure of the Roxy in Burlington and Palace 9 in South Burlington in 2023, the Jarvis’ are down to their last theater, the Majestic 10 in Williston.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Merrill’s Roxy Cinema shut its doors for 18 months according to the Burlington Free Press. Additionally, online streaming services have cut into the movie theater industry, as viewers choose to watch from the comfort of their own couches.
In an attempt to raise ticket sales, the Roxy initiated $5 Tuesdays and offered discounted ticket prices for students. However, despite these changes and the past few years’ popular releases, such as “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the Jarvis family made the decision to shut down another one of their theaters.
The company said in its social media post that it would honor previously purchased gift cards, directors passes or theater rentals at the remaining Williston location.
VTDigger was unable to reach the cinema and its ownership for comment on Friday.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Burlington’s only movie theater — Merrill’s Roxy Cinema — to close its doors.