HENDERSON, Texas — The owner of the Plaza Cinema in Henderson, Virginia Irwin, reached out to CBS19 early Tuesday morning to issue a clarification in regards to the theaters status.
Irwin says the movie theatre is not permanently closed, it is just shut down temporarily due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
She said the sign that read, "Theater closed, furnishings removal sale Monday, October 26" was "a joke" and it should not have said that.
The sign caused confusion among community members who thought the theatre would shut down permanently.
When people arrived for the sale Monday morning, there was nothing there. The parking lot was empty, the "Now Showing" signs where upcoming movie posters would display, barren.
The theatre has been closed since early February, leaving community members without many entertainment options.
The Plaza Cinema is one of the last entertainment options in the town, and with the ongoing closure, residents say there's nothing left to do.
"There's really nothing left to do, there's no more skating rink, there's no more pool halls, there's no more movies," resident Christine Bedford said.
Bedford lives near the Henderson community and says the movie theatre was one of the only family-friendly options for entertainment in the area, now all that's left is the community park.
Zimmerman says it's the only theatre in town and if she wants to do something fun on the weekends with her family, she has to commute at least 30 minutes away.
"The closest place would be either Longview or Tyler and that sometimes is too far of a drive for parents who are on low income that can't afford that drive," she said.
Henderson residents say the only remaining entertainment spot in the area is the community park. Other attractions such as a skating rink and a pool hall have since closed down for business, leaving teens without much to do in the town.