On Jan. 28, the Bow Tie Cinemas of Port Washington was officially shut down.  Students couldn’t help but notice the empty display boxes stripped of their posters and the huge marquee left bare.  After the list of available movies disappeared without any notice, the town was left in shock.

In 1927, the cinema made its initial debut with one screen and was known as Beacon Theatre.  It was then bought by Clearview Cinemas in 1995, and finally, in 2013, it became a part of the Bow Tie Cinemas Corporation.  At the time of its closure, the theater had 7 screens and 1,600 seats.

“Although I’m not much of a movie person, so I didn’t go there that often as others, it’s sad to see Bowtie shut down because it’s been in our town for so long and because it was in such a convenient location,” said senior Lizzy Kaplan.

In the past, Bow Tie Cinemas was one of the select theaters to host screenings for the Gold Coast International Film Festival.  While the existing history and importance of the theater is undeniable, there was an overall lack of revenue and low attendance.  These factors eventually contributed to the Bowtie’s decision not to renew their lease. Although Port residents can enjoy the latest films at the Soundview theater, people of all ages were shocked by Bow Tie’s sudden closure due to the long-lasting memories that it held.

“The theater held a lot of nostalgia for me.  I used to go there with my parents a lot when I was a kid, so it’s sad to see it close after so many years.  I would like to see the location continue to be used as a theater in the future so I can come back when I’m older and reminisce,” said junior Julia Russo.