“The Jewel of Elroy”
The Elroy Theatre is a jewel indeed; shiny and bright, it attracts movie goers like the sparkling family heirloom that it is. Owned and operated by Kari Preuss, with help from her family and friends since 2005, it is truly a family affair. How has that single-screen, Art Deco throwback to the Golden Age of Cinema managed to thrive in this era of Netflix and cable TV? To answer that question, Driftless Now (DN) tracked down Ms. Preuss, at the Elroy Public Library, where she has been Director since January of 2016. The following is an edited version of that interview.
DN: Why did you decide to become the owner of a movie theater in Elroy, Wisconsin?
Kari: It seemed like a good idea at the time. I needed something to focus on. My dad, Duke Price, had died-that’s what brought me to Elroy. When you are in grief, you really need to focus your energy on something else. I had two little kids, Paige and Dane. “What am I going to do?” I asked myself, “This is an opportunity. This business [might] go away, but it could thrive. It could do well. I’m going to try it.” So, my then-husband, Brian “Gus” Hyer, and I purchased the Elroy Theater in 2005.
DN: So, you had connections to Elroy.
Kari: Yes, my dad grew up in the area, and my grandparents, Don (“Bull”) Preuss and Ardis (Olson) Preuss were generational people from Elroy. I grew up in Onalaska, but I came here to visit them all the time. I have lots of good memories, including going to the Elroy Theatre.
DN: What were your feelings when you took the keys to the theatre?
Kari: Fear-lots of fear. I walked into the movie theater, and I cried. I thought, what have I done to my family? I don’t know how to run a projector-I don’t!
DN: You were concerned about how the business would affect your children.
Kari: I was afraid that we would be at the theater every weekend throughout their childhood lives, and we were. They could not stay home on their own, because they were too little, five and seven. My kids spent every weekend at the movie theatre or at Grandma Preuss’s house. They did hand stands in the front lobby, we played games, we read books, we talked. We spent so many hours together. I don’t regret it; it was wonderful.
DN: Did you have to jump through lots of hoops to acquire the building?
Kari: Not at all; the bank and the city have been great. I want to thank Royal Bank for trusting me and the City of Elroy for giving me a loan for the new concession stand and new marquee.
DN: You must have encountered some structural challenges with such an old building.
Kari: Oh sure, the roof had to be redone; that was $20,000. Electrical work cost another $20,000. Every time we fix one area, another project pops up.
DN: And you have been making continuous improvements over the past 15 years…
Kari: Yes, we have a new projection system, screen, and modern surround-sound. We redid the concession area, the front marquee, and ticket booth, and we replaced the seats.
DN: Why did you replace the seats?
Kari: The theatre originally had 500 seats to accommodate the demand of huge pre-TV audiences. They were tightly packed, like coach-class airline seats. Customers over 5’10” would have their knees up against the seat in front of them. It was a community event, with the Junior High Football team carrying out the old seats as a fund raiser. Then the kids and Gus hauled in and then installed 250 larger, more comfortable seats.
DN: And the changes to the concession area, marquee, and ticket booth?
Kari: The concession area used to be in the front room. It created a bottleneck, so Gus and his brother Mike build a whole new concession area where the green couch once sat. Later, we restored the marquee, and Boyfriend Bill designed the new ticket booth to historical accurateness.
DN: Tell me about the history of the Elroy Theatre.
Kari: A gentleman by the name of Jacob Eskin built this building in 1937, when he outgrew his theater at 142 Main Street. He used paving bricks purchased from the City of Elroy when Main Street was repaved. The Elroy Theatre is literally built from Main Street! The walls are “three bricks deep.” The theatre was built in one year’s time and has been running continuously as the Elroy Theater since 1937.
DN: That is amazing! How many owners?
Kari: I am the third owner. I purchased it from the Bones family in 2005.
DN: This old theatre has seen many changes in the movie business over the past 80 years…
Kari: Absolutely! Before television, movies were a prime source of entertainment. Many little towns had movie houses: Hillsboro, Mauston-they all had their little theatres, but Elroy was one of the larger ones. It had 500 seats, it had a newer projector, and it had a larger screen. People would come from miles around, even on the train, when the railroad was still running. Because it had a larger seat-hold and higher revenue, it would often get new movies before the other towns did. Mr. Eskins and Mr. Bones negotiated with the studios to show their films, but they wanted them first. I have seen the contracts that have that clearly stated in them.
The Elroy Theatre showed one movie for two or three days, another movie for two or three days, and a bigger movie on the weekend. So, the show house was open every day, from the beginning of the day until evening. But you also had news and cartoons. You might start at noon, and you could stay as long as you wanted. They didn’t clear out the theater after the movie.
What’s fascinating is how many people have childhood memories of coming here with a quarter-10¢ to get in, 10¢ for popcorn, and 5¢ for candy or other things. It’s a distinct memory for many people-or one they’ve heard repeated throughout time.
DN: We all have fond memories of that simpler time, but hasn’t technology shaped cinema, as it has other aspects of our lives?
Kari: Yes, carbon arc projectors required certified, professional projectionists, because film was so valuable. Digital projectors and modern sound systems have had a positive impact on the movie-going experience. On the other hand, external technological advancements have challenged the movie theatre business. In the 1950s, television came to every household. Advances such as color television; solid-state, big screen HDTVs; the VCR, which enabled viewers to watch programs and movies on their own schedule; cable; and subscription services, such as Netflix, provide almost unlimited choices for home entertainment.
DN: How can the Elroy Theatre compete?
Kari: Maybe “compete” is the wrong word; I would say that we offer an alternative.
DN: An alternative?
Kari: Yes, there’s something special about the experience of getting out of the house and coming together with friends and neighbors in a small-town theatre. There’s a sense of community. People waiting in line for popcorn chat with one another; when the movie is over, they visit in the lobby, rather than vacate the premises right away. It’s typically 20 minutes before everyone clears out. You can feel the family-run component of it. We’re pretty relaxed; we make jokes and have a good time.
DN: And yet, you have managed to thrive as a business.
Kari: I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I see potential. That’s what I saw in the Elroy Theatre. When my ex-husband, Brian Hyer, and I purchased the theater in 2005, he was able to handle most of the maintenance and repairs. When we divorced in 2009, however, and I had to learn to run everything, I was terrified to take on the entire operation on my own. To make matters worse, that was the year of the writers’ strike, so nothing was coming out of Hollywood-just films they had filed as duds not worth the cost of release. Without the help from my cousin Matt Preuss and his family that includes Jennifer, Josh, Paige, Jonathon, and Mattison, plus my kids and mom, I would have had to close the doors. That was a very tough year, but I made it through.
Now that my children, Paige & Dane Hyer, are grown, they, along with my boyfriend, Bill Dedrick and his son Brandon, help run the theater. We also get help from various friends and family. I have no employees, so that helps me get by. I pay in popcorn, candy, and pop!
DN: You are able to offer good value.
Kari: Yes, we started out quite small and local, but it has extended, in the last five years especially. The ticket was $4. I did increase it to $5, and it has stayed $5 for the last 12 years. That has tax included, so people will bring their whole families to watch the movie. We draw from bigger towns, like Reedsburg, and Tomah-about a 40-minute drive. If you have a family of six, at $5 to get in the door, and everybody gets a treat-popcorn and soda - for $5, that’s $60 for a whole family, which is what you would pay to get in the door at most theaters. That’s why we see larger families pretty often. Our attendance averages 250 a week for four shows.
DN: You advertise local businesses and organizations on-screen before the movie.
Kari: Here’s how I get local advertisers: It costs about up to $1,500 to have someone make up an ad a month, so to see a profit, the theatre has charged up to $500 a month to screen it. Many local businesses cannot afford that, so you do not see a lot of local advertising at most theatres. I design the ads myself, so I can charge only $25 a month, or $200 if you want a whole year. That way, I get more revenue, and my advertisers have a captive audience.
DN: I enjoy the humor in your ads for the concession stand. “Buttered popcorn: light, medium, swimming, heart attack.”
Kari: I am a witty lady!
DN: How do you select films to screen?
Kari: I’m seeing growth in my numbers because I’m paying attention to what my customers want. I study the IMDB (International Movie Data Base). I don’t pay attention to anything with fewer than 3,000 ratings. Those are just movie critics. I want the general public. I look at the demographics. I personally like science fiction, but the main demographic for that genre is men-the lowest movie attendance group. By far, family movies, and comedies are the most attended films.
People don’t want to wait for the big movies. We’re more likely to have a large turnout if we open a movie, rather than wait three weeks. They don’t want to wait for the DVD release; they want to see it in the theatre. It’s a conversation topic.
DN: Something to talk about at the water cooler, so to speak…
Kari: Exactly. Theatres are staying pretty consistent now. Kids’ movies and family movies do phenomenally well. Frozen II broke all records-200 people at a show, 1,500 the first week—in Elroy! Elroy doesn’t have 1,500 people living in its city limits. They came back for it again, over and over, which is great. When a movie is good, we want it to continue. Harry Potter has eight films. You didn’t have that 30, 40 years ago. When we fall in love with a character, we expect to see more of that character in the future.
DN: Kari, when you were renovating the theatre, did you discover any “hidden treasures”?
Kari: No hidden treasures, sorry.
DN: Was the Elroy Theatre ever a venue for vaudeville?
Kari: No, the stage is not set up for entrance and exit. There’s only four feet behind the screen, where the sound system is. As I understand it, the stage was built by Grace Lutheran Church. They used it for Sunday services when they were rebuilding their own church.
We have had talent shows and singing contests, but most such events are not on stage. That would make me nervous. I don’t like people up by my screen, because if the screen were to get damaged, it would cost $7,000 to replace. That’s what it cost when we installed it in 2008.
DN: What’s in the works for the future?
Kari: I plan to redo the bathrooms in two to three years. The step-up because of sewer lines reflects the state of plumbing (and codes) in 1937. When someone who has not been here in 50 years visits the theatre they may not recognize it immediately, but when they walk into the bathroom, it looks the same. And of course, the main auditorium evokes memories. It has that aroma of old theater-and popcorn.
DN: I love the Art Deco lamps.
Kari: There were never too many Art Deco elements, but you may notice them behind the concession stand and on the main door. Also, the texture of the walls is original.
DN: What do you most enjoy about being proprietor of the Elroy Theatre?
Kari: Three things: First, first dates. They are young; it’s charming. You can feel the excitement and discomfort of that first date; who pays, how do I act… Second, grandparents who bring their grand-kids in to show them off. “This is my grandchild!” It brings back personal memories; I was the grandchild who came to the theatre with my grandpa and grandma…the circle of life. Third, little kids spending their own money for the first time. They’re trying to figure out if they have enough. I treat that very seriously. "Okay, it will cost you $4. Do you have $4?” It’s a transaction. I’ll ask questions like, “How much do you have?” and “How much do I have to give you back?” So, we make it a big thing for them, and it’s a great thing for us. I love the look on their faces and the excitement they have, because it is a big deal.
DN: Your customers are your friends.
Kari: Absolutely! “I might not remember everyone’s name, but I remember, you are a large Pepsi with medium butter and extra salt.
Mrs. Blanche Fowler sold popcorn here for years. There’s a picture of her in the concession area. She always had a flower in her hair. Every child knew who she was, and she knew every child. She is my inspiration. I want to be remembered as someone who loved children, as she did, so that’s who I try to emulate.
DN: You are upholding a long tradition.
Kari: People often tell me that Ed Bones, the previous owner, loved the movie theater like I love it. When I go into the theater, I say, “Hello Ed.” I have a picture of him in the projector room. I talk to him.
DN: And the story of the Elroy Theatre continues…
Kari: Every building has a story, probably more than one.
For show times and upcoming movies visit the theatre on Facebook or their website.
Readers: Is there a special building in your town that has a story? Contributing writer Robert Potter is interested in hearing stories of people and places that provide insight into the character of the Driftless Region. Please contact Robert at robertdaypotter@gmail.com to share your story with readers of DriftlessNow.com.
