A Tulsa movie theater that has been showing new releases on the big screen for nearly 40 years has closed its doors.

The owner of Eton Square 6 Cinema near 61st and Memorial says he decided to close the doors after years of declining crowds.

Inside the building, you can still hear the noises and see the flashing lights from all of the arcade games. For the first time in decades, no crowds are stopping by the concession stand or walking into the theaters.

“It’s like a ghost place being in here right now,” said Mike Mendenhall, owner of the theater for the last 17 years. “Just walking around, all the normal noises you’re used to hearing, it’s just not there.”

Mendenhall said the hardest part of closing was having to lay off 12 staff members. A second act has been hard to come by in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that is the reason he decided to close.

“It’s been rough but it just got to the point where it was not supporting itself,” said Mendenhall.

Mendenhall says he tried to keep prices fair for families and the theater would often attract schools and churches to see a movie. The theater’s closing is a sad sign of the times for many.

“There’s so much history in these places and so many important moments in people’s lives,” said Justin Rawlins, an assistant professor of film and media studies at the University of Tulsa.

Rawlins says Eton Square 6 Cinema’s problem is happening in other theaters around the country. The threat of streaming from home and the cost of doing business have made those problems even bigger.

“They also have to stay up to date on all of the new 3D projector technologies and stadium seating and all of that stuff,” said Rawlins. “They’re footing the bill for that as well.”

Mendenhall says it has been overwhelming hearing from moviegoers

“I’ve had a surprising amount of support,” he said. “I was really pleased to see that.”

Mendenhall says there are preliminary talks about an investor taking over the theater. He is hopeful those conversations continue to develop and the theater can eventually re-open.