Scene One Entertainment new owner of Gilford Cinemas 8

GILFORD — Under new ownership, Gilford Cinemas 8 held its opening day Friday, and movie fans were happily attending showings of the newest films Hollywood’s got to offer.

The building is owned by WSP Development of Portsmouth, and the Gilford 8 transitioned to the stewardship of Scene One Entertainment of Schenectady, New York, from previous management Your Neighborhood Theatre.

They’re a small chain of theaters, mostly based in the Northeast but also Virginia and South Carolina. They also operate Huck Finn’s Playland, an amusement park in Albany, New York.

Their owner and chief executive officer, Joe Masher, has been on the ground in the Lake Region for about two weeks, ironing out the kinks.

The previous owners elected not to renew their lease, Masher said Friday afternoon, and management there were already acquainted with him and his team by way of the cinema industry. When he heard about the opportunity to take the keys and fold the Gilford 8 into his portfolio, he jumped on it. 

“We’re industry veterans,” he said. “The last operators are good friends of ours.”

The acquisition cost his company under $100,000, and they took over the lease. Negotiations began in the fall of 2024, and the theater opened under new ownership Friday morning.

“We took the opportunity to come up to Gilford,” he said. 

On Friday, Masher was busy greeting guests, problem-solving apparent point-of-sale and internet issues, and generally supporting the operations on the first day post-switch.

Masher knew the opportunity to acquire Gilford 8 was a good one — it was financially successful, he said, noting it’s been around about 30 years, and the Lakes Region provides a good customer base to support the business.

“It’s always been successful,” he said. 

Looking forward, Masher is excited to bring a new “film philosophy” to Gilford 8. They’re going to be playing more independent films, ones viewers might not always get the chance to see on the big screen, in addition to major box office smash-hits played in just about every theater across the country.

They’re going to introduce themed events, such as an upcoming run of Harry Potter films — they’ll show all of them “back on the big screen” — in February, and they’ll screen “theater” or concert films there, too. Those may well turn out to be one- or two-night events.

In a somewhat unusual turn of events, Masher elected to retain all theater staff. There’s three managers and 10 other workers who remained employed, having met him just days before Friday. 

“The staff met me two days ago,” he said.

He’s also excited about the proximity of the theater to Axe & Ale, a taphouse, restaurant and axe-throwing business located right next door. The pair even share an entrance between them, which Masher hopes will benefit both businesses.

“I think it’s a great synergistic opportunity,” he said. 

Axe & Ale assistant manager Candace LaBounty agreed, noting people often grab a bite and a brew before or after seeing a film, and parents sometimes drop their children off to see a movie and head over next door to relax.

“It’s actually really common,” LaBounty said. “More so on weekends, or if they’re busy. I think it’s a great thing they’re staying open, it definitely helps with the customers.”

Masher hopes breathing some new life into the place may help counter perceptions about the cinema industry. While streaming has clearly exploded in recent years, the movie theater business is anything but dead. 

“That’s not true,” he emphasized. “We are just fine.”

Theaters also provide a unique advertising opportunity for movie studios, he explained. 

“We provide a very good monetary vehicle for a movie,” he said. 

As early as next week, the theater will introduce new food options like chicken tenders and tater tots, and Masher said they’ll be submitting an application for a liquor license, as well. Customers can also look forward to the introduction of real butter on their popcorn.

He’s looking forward to leaning into community engagement, he said. They’ll look to organize collaborative events to benefit charities, offer caption shows for individuals with disabilities each week and hold “sensory-friendly” viewings of films, as well. He’s personally excited to show classic films, pointing to the 1942 masterpiece starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “Casablanca”, and hopes to introduce new audiences to old films the way they were intended to be seen.

“We’ll do a lot of old movies,” he said. 

And why did he hop into the cinema business in the first place? If it’s not already clear, it’s his passion.

“I’ve been doing it basically since I was a teenager,” Masher said. “It’s all I know — I love it. Moviegoing is part of the American fabric.”