A longtime entertainment staple in Pittsburg has gone dark, leaving the community without a local movie theater for the first time in more than 100 years and closing a chapter of shared memories for many residents.
According to reporting from KOAM News Now, Four States Homepage, and The Morning Sun, AMC Classic Pittsburg 8 permanently closed on Sunday, May 31, ending its nearly decade-long residence and presence at Meadowbrook Mall. The closure means residents now must travel to nearby cities for a movie-going experience that was once just down the road.
AMC spokesperson Cassie Kennard confirmed the closure, saying the decision was part of the company’s routine evaluation of its theaters.
“AMC routinely reviews all theaters in its circuit and makes decisions based on what will strengthen the company moving forward,” Kennard said in a statement to KOAM News Now.
For many residents, the closure came as a surprise. Katie Budde, a longtime moviegoer who said she had been attending films at the theater since high school, described learning the news unexpectedly while outside the building.
“They were changing the billboards, and I asked them what’s coming, and they said, ‘Well, we’re closing,’” Budde said. “So, it was a total shock.”
Budde also said the theater still appeared to be drawing customers in its final days.
“When I’d walk by, I’d see people,” she said. “It wasn’t like nobody came. So, I don’t know if it was just a sign of the times and everything closing.”
The theater was also removed from AMC’s website shortly after its final day of operation, further confirming the permanent closure.
The loss has left a noticeable gap in the community. For families who relied on the theater for outings and small traditions, the closest options are now in surrounding cities such as Joplin, MO or Parsons, KS.
Some residents said the change has been difficult to adjust to. Tylease DePriest, who recently moved to Pittsburg from Joplin, said the closure takes away something that helped make the city feel more connected and convenient.
“When you deal with bigger companies, it is unfortunate because they don’t see the value that it added to the community that they suddenly took away,” DePriest said.
Others had already begun to accept the closure before it happened. Marlon Dewey said he made a final visit with his son and chose to cancel his AMC membership afterward.
“It’s not going to benefit me to have an AMC membership if it’s 20, 30, 40 miles away,” Dewey said. “So, I went in and canceled the membership.”
The Morning Sun reported that AMC did not give any specific reasons for closing the Pittsburg location, but the company has previously announced plans to close underperforming theaters nationwide. The publication also noted recent closures in other Kansas communities, including Salina and Hays.
Questions remain about what will become of the Meadowbrook Mall theater space. According to The Morning Sun, mall management declined to comment on potential lease negotiations or future plans for the location.
Community members have taken to Facebook, with some speculations being that the owner of Chanute and Parsons’ theaters, RT Entertainment Inc., will buy the theater space, and restore it back to an entertainment staple in the community. However, there has been no official confirmation from RT Entertainment Inc.
For Pittsburg, the closure marks more than the loss of a business. It is the end of a familiar place where families gathered, friends met up, and small moments became lasting memories.
Now, as the community adjusts to life without any local cinema, residents are left holding onto those memories while looking toward what may come next.