Wareham Flagship Cinemas Permanently Closing This Weekend
If you were looking for clues that Flagship Cinemas in Wareham would be permanently closing its doors this weekend, they were not immediately apparent on Thursday afternoon, but they were there.
The lines to see films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Sing 2 were long, and filled with kids wearing Spidey shirts and pink tutus. The box office was closed down, so all in-person ticket sales were conducted at the snack bar.
The first clue was that the snack bar was bare. Popcorn and sodas were available, but candy was limited and chicken fingers were sold out.
There were also prominently displayed signs that gift cards were not available for purchase. No reason was offered, but we learned from the shift manager of the theater that the location is closing down in the next several days.
"I'm already out there looking for a new job," said manager Tevon Safford. "They're supposed to give us bonuses after they close to compensate us so that everyone doesn't leave early."
Safford said that the local management team contacted Flagship Cinemas corporate after hearing from customers that the property had been sold. A spokesperson for Eversource confirmed for us that the energy company has, in fact, purchased the site and will be using it as a staging ground for major restoration events. The site was particularly desirable because of its proximity to the highway.
Employees at Flagship Cinemas Wareham were told that the selling price for the property was for $5.2 million, however Eversource was unable to verify the figure at this time.
After the Wareham location closes down on Sunday, Flagship will no longer have any locations in Massachusetts. Customers who have purchased gift cards can email info@cinemasplus.com to arrange a full refund. Dates will also be set up to get in-person refunds at the Wareham site.
"This is one of the best places in Wareham," Safford said. "It's one of the only places to have fun."
The closing will certainly make seeing a movie on the SouthCoast more difficult as the already-crowded AMC theaters at the Dartmouth Mall will now be the closest theater for many people in Wareham and the Tri-Town area.
The Wareham cinemas were fully renovated four years ago this month.