Charlestowne 18 movie theater to close its doors once again amid COVID-19 pandemic

ST. CHARLES – The screens at Charlestowne 18 movie theater in St. Charles along with other Classic Cinemas movie theaters will go dark again after Thursday.

Charlestowne 18 had reopened on June 26 as the state moved into phase 4 of Gov. JB Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan. It had been closed since March 16 as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Classic Cinemas announced it will be temporarily closing its theaters at the end of the day on Thursday.

"After much deliberation and with a heavy heart, Classic Cinemas has decided to temporarily re-close our locations after the end of business on Thursday, July 9," the post stated. "Our team took pride in implementing the health and safety protocols and received high marks for their efforts. Unfortunately, the lack of new movies and the extra costs have made our current business model unsustainable. We are in this for the long term so we look forward to welcoming you back just as soon as the outlook improves and new movies are released."

Auditorium capacity in the theaters has been limited to 50% with a 50 person cap based on state guidelines. Gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed in phase 4.

Classic Cinemas has been taking various health and safety precautions to ensure the safety of their patrons, including disinfecting seats after every show. All employees must pass a health and temperature screening prior to their shift and wear masks and gloves throughout their shift.

Patrons are urged to wear masks and to consider purchasing tickets online. They are asked not to remove their masks until seated.

"I just want to make sure everyone's safe," Charlestowne 18 General Manager Randy Pollock said.