Please send good thoughts our way. - Democratic Underground

Pab Sungenis

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Mon Sep-18-06 06:45 PM
Original message

Please send good thoughts our way.

As some people here may know, I own and operate DeMarco Cinemas. We're a struggling little "mom and pop" style operation trying to make a go of it against the largest exhibitor conglomerate in the world (Regal Cinemas) down the street from us and breathing down our necks.

Well, the past couple of weeks have been pure disaster.

One of our air conditioner/heater units, the 35 year old one, has completely given up the ghost. Estimates to replace it (four separate repairmen have declared it irreparable, and the company that made it has been out of business for 20 years so we can't get parts) are around $15,000.00.

Two of our projectors broke down; one's costing $2,000.00 to repair and the other is (fortunately) for the auditorium whose air conditioner is dead, but if I repair the air it's going to cost another $2,000.00.

Repairs to our electrical system just cost us $6,100.00, and another $2,000.00 worth of repairs were needed to bring us in line with a new, tighter fire code here in town.

Add to that a steep drop off in admissions; our revenues this weekend were one quarter what they were projected to be based on previous years. This can be attributed to a steep drop for the industry in general, but hits the little guys like us especially hard.

A couple of hours ago, I told my managers that because of these sudden expenses and low receipts, I can't make payroll this week. They're very understanding about it, but they can see the writing on the wall, as can I.

I love my staff. They're some of the most dedicated people I've ever known and I'd gladly bend backwards for them. I even continued the health insurance for one employee I had to lay off who was hospitalized shortly afterward (before I could file paperwork with the agent) and his four year old daughter, who has an annoying tendency toward ear infections. I have one employee going through a divorce, one going through his parents' divorce (after 25 years of marriage!), and one who was hospitalized for a psychotic break due to stress in his home life. Everyone else is in much better shape, but like everyone else they're barely getting by. These men and women would walk through fire for me, and I do not want to see them stranded.

I've talked with a couple potential buyers, but with the Bush economy at its worst, I doubt I'm going to find any takers, and I can't count on a white knight galloping in to solve our problems for the same reason.

Those of you who are religious please pray for us. Those who are not, please send some positive energy, good thoughts, mojo, white light, "hugz," or whatever you want to classify it as, our way. Keep my staff in your thoughts, and give them good wishes and blessings.

I hope we can pull through this, but if I can't, I want to make sure the rest achieve a safe landing.

Thanks, everyone, for your support.