By Jason Sethre
Publisher
Fillmore County Journal
jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com
As of July 27, 2025, the city of Rochester only has one movie theater. CMX Chateau, one of the biggest movie theaters in Rochester, closed, leaving only Marcus Rochester Cinema left to serve a booming population currently approaching 124,000.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, according to a March 26, 2025, article published by Variety.com, there have been 5,700 movie screens shut down nationwide.
This should be a wake up call for all of us.
When I was a kid, there were so many movie theater options in Rochester, and they were all bustling. I saw “Star Wars,” “Superman,” “Flash,” and dozens of other movies at the Chateau, an architectural masterpiece in downtown Rochester. At outdoor theaters like the Starlite Drive-in, I watched movies like “Popeye,” “Lady & the Tramp,” and “Monster Squad” – all while wearing my pajamas, eating a pickle on a stick, and enjoying an occasional ride on the playground set by the concessions building.
To me, going to the movies was a shared experience full of memories. I remember who I went with and how we felt about the movie at the end. I remember going out to eat at a nearby pizza place before the movie started. Going to the movies has always been a social engagement.
When I heard the news about how Rochester was now only going to have one movie theater, I thought about how lucky we are in Fillmore and Houston Counties.
In early June, we dedicated a full page story to Lucas Hall and his vision for his recently acquired Spring Grove Cinema in Spring Grove, Minn. His acquisition of the movie theater is an investment in the community, and he looks forward to bringing people together with many new ideas he shared in that article.
Fillmore County is also fortunate to the JEM Movie Theatre in Harmony, Minn. Dana and Amber Coaty have been the proud owners of this “gem” since 2017, a theater that has been owned by a number of families spanning the past few decades.
What we have is a rarity in Fillmore and Houston Counties. We are so blessed to have these movie theaters. And, they not only show the latest movies; they also offer other amenities to the community.
At the JEM Movie Theatre, you can rent the venue for birthday parties. Imagine playing video games on a full size screen with amazing audio in the background. They also offer mobile theater experiences, so they can bring the big screen right to your backyard. They are also major community supporters, donating to school events and partnering with other businesses in the community. The Coaty family brings people together simply by the nature of their business.
And, what a lot of people don’t realize is that movie theaters don’t make their money off of ticket sales. The movie industry takes a huge percentage of the total ticket sale price. So, our local independent family-owned theaters survive and thrive on concessions. So, please remember that when you are considering smuggling snacks into the theater. I have always been amazed at how reasonably priced the concessions are at the JEM Movie Theatre. It’s one of the most affordable entertainment experiences for any family. And, it’s so convenient, nestled in downtown Harmony, Minn.
As you are making plans for future outings, check out the JEM Movie Theatre listings each week in the Fillmore County Journal.
Photo submitted