Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Customers exit the Odeon Theatre in downtown Tucumcari after watching the 2016 film "Hell or High Water" on Thursday night. It was the first film screened at the venue in nearly 2 1/2 years.
Early in Thursday night's screening of "Hell or High Water," applause spontaneously erupted from many in the audience as they saw the film's bank robbers drive a getaway car on what they recognized as Second Street in downtown Tucumcari.
Those moviegoers could very well have been also cheering the reopening of the historic Odeon Theatre, which showed a film for the first time in almost 2 1/2 years after COVID-19 shutdowns and needed repairs and renovations.
Hundreds of people attended the free screening of the Oscar-nominated crime drama from 2016, which was partly shot in Tucumcari and other parts of eastern New Mexico.
Long lines snaked around the lobby as patrons waited to buy half-price popcorn and sodas at the rebuilt concession stand.
"It went really well. I'm pleased with how everything turned out," Odeon co-owner and general manager Christy Dominguez said after the screening.
"My employees rocked. They worked well together, they're positive, they're happy, and it makes for a fun time. They're very competent, and it makes me very grateful."
One MVP during the soft opening was Chase Waters, who spent several days guiding Dominguez and employees through the new point-of-sale software at the stand. Waters uses the same software at his Del's Restaurant, so he knew its features and quirks.
"He has been an absolute and utter savior," Dominguez said. "He has been so kind and so helpful. He needs to be Citizen of the Year. I'm not kidding. He is so helpful to anyone."
About the only problem Dominguez could recall during the soft opening Thursday was the theater's house lights. The dimmer switch apparently wasn't working, so the transition to darkness just before the film began was abrupt.
The Odeon held another screening of "Hell or High Water" on Saturday, then was scheduled to begin showing first- or second-run films this Friday for five or six days a week.
In the weeks ahead, Dominguez also plans to open the Odeon to free movie screenings at lunchtime and sell sandwiches and other bistro items. Concessions are where theaters earn their profits, and that's where she wants to concentrate the Odeon's energies.
The Odeon Theatre, built in 1936 and on the National Register of Historic Places, remains Quay County's only operating movie venue. The next-closest one is in Santa Rosa, about 60 miles away.
On Thursday night, Dominguez could be seen exchanging hugs with customers after the film ended.
"Everybody's so great. They're so appreciative the theater is open again," she said. "Everybody has been so gracious, kind and supportive. I couldn't have asked for a better soft opening. Everything went very smoothly, considering we still were peeling paint and glue off things this afternoon."
