Hometown Cinema Provides Big Theater Quality in Relaxed Atmosphere

Outside of the large cinema complexes, Weymouth residents have an alternative option when it comes to movie viewing. Cameo Theaters 1 and 2 in Columbian Square is run by Hanover couple Bret and Michelle Hardy.

Since 2011, South Shore Cinemas has operated the South Weymouth Theater and Mill Wharf Cinemas 1 and 2 in Scituate Harbor.

Located at 14 Columbian Street in South Weymouth, Cameo Theater offers a variety of movies, hand-selected by the owners, for both families and adults.

The theater has free parking on the corner of Columbian Street and Fogg Road. To learn more about the Cameo Theater, call 781-335-2777 or visit sscinemas.com.

Bret Hardy recently shared what got him in the movie business and what it's like to operate two small, hometown theaters.

When did you start South Shore Cinemas?

It was just over two years ago. Our first day of business of January 1, 2011.

So, you bought both theaters at the same time?

The previous tenants were leaving; their lease had run out. So, we purchased the fixtures that were in place from them and opened up without a delay.

What did you do prior to that and what made you decide to get into this business?

I actually worked for Patriot Cinemas, the other local chain, ever since I was a teenager and kept in touch with them and with the business throughout the years. After graduating college, I did go off on a regular career path in marketing. So, I work as a marketing director now, as well, at a marketing company called the Double E Company in West Bridgewater. I do that full time and my wife and I do this kind of as a hobby on the side.

What are your responsibilities day-to-day to run these two theaters?

A lot of the day-to-day responsibilities are on the shoulders of the managers we have. They run the businesses as far as letting the customers in and giving the customers a good experience. We have a great staff that works for us at both locations. Behind the scenes we do the accounting, we book the movies, we clean. So, there's a lot of hands-on involvement for both my wife and I.

How does it work selecting the movies and getting them into your theaters?

That process is called booking. We decide together what we'd like to try to get in to show. Being a small operator it's not always possible to get what you want. If there's a movie we want to play, we contact the studio that distributes that movie. And if they will give us a print, we'll negotiate terms with them. 

How does a place like this differ from some of the bigger movie complexes people are used to?

I think it's more low key. It's kind of a calm atmosphere. It's not usually very busy here. We pride ourselves on giving a lot of personal attention to the customers. Of course, now that we've converted to digital the experience of watching the movie itself and the sound is much, much better. We have crystal clear, bright screens and surround sound in all of our auditoriums now. 

What's the history of the Cameo Theater?

I believe it was built in 1938. I base that on the fact that we have the first projection license that was issued to the theater hanging upstairs and that was dated 1938. So, it's been here since then. It opened up as a large, one-screen auditorium and it was twinned back in the 1980s. So now there are two auditoriums that hold the same amount of people, which is about 240 each. 

Do you have a particular genre you're really into or are you just a general fan of cinema?

We're general fans, but we try to cater our choices to the audience at each theater. Here, the clientele here is families so we try to show a lot of Disney movies for young kids. It's Academy Award season, so those types of movies do well here. Les Miserables is playing now and we have Silver Linings Playbook. We try to play the Oscar contenders this time of year. So, if I had to classify myself that's the type of movie I like and it coincides with what the audience here at the Cameo likes.