No! Due to a number of converging financial issues, it was briefly listed in the fall, but the listing has since been withdrawn; when posted, SEAC saw the listing and organized the local community whose overwhelming support convinced Jo Ann that she would be able to go forward with the Cinema with its current business plan intact.

2) What is the future of the Cinema?

Since 1984, Jo Ann has owned and operated the Cinema. Anyone who has ever attended it can attest to her reasonable prices both for admission and concessions. She has never looked to “get rich” per se, but has operated it more as a labor of love.

Obviously, like anyone else, she needs to have a reliable, sustained income so if an interested buyer or group (profit or non-profit) were to step forward with a vision that maintains the Cinema as Rochester’s Oldest Neighborhood Theater, she would consider its sale. Until then, Jo Ann remains committed to her baby — and she is retiring from the school district this year affording her more time to spend with its operations and day to-day activities.

3) What does “Rochester’s Oldest Neighborhood Theater” mean?

At one time, there were well over 35 neighborhood theaters in Rochester — The Cinema is the sole remaining link to this bygone era. Its impact is not, however, limited to nostalgia as it still serves as the cornerstone to much of the commercial traffic in the South East corridor. It is a tangible link to both days gone by and to our future as the center of business in our very walkable neighborhood.

4) Does a cat really live in the Cinema?

Yes. If you feel a flick of a tail during a movie, it is really the Cinema’s resident feline. If you are not a fan of kitties, however, don’t worry — Princess has a few regulars at just about every show on whose laps she can be found.