Grand Theatre opens a Saturday movie showing to those with special needs

A staple on the Greenfield square for almost 100 years, Grand Theatre and Video continues to embrace new ways to serve its customers. The latest example is a movie showing weekly for those who have special needs of any kind.

Theater manager Deb Lundy says a community member approached her who has a young son with special needs, and they aren’t able to sit still or stay quiet, as is usually required in a movie setting. That’s how the idea was born.

Kenny Sheeder owns the theater. His late wife, Wendy, ran the theater until she passed away in 2018.

“I told the mom you just have to have six people and everybody gets concessions. That’s the minimum for any time, because the movie company gets the door [money],” Lundy said. “When she left, the mom said she didn’t think her son would ever get to go to a movie.”

Response has been slow to start, however Lundy hopes that if there are people in the community who don’t feel like they can come to a movie, for whatever reason, they feel welcome at these showings on Saturdays.

“We have Disney movies for the next 10 weeks,” Lundy said. “Hopefully that will also bring out the families.”

Lundy explained business at the theater has picked back up again after the pandemic.

During the height of the pandemic when movies weren’t being shown, the theater was still open selling concessions, which proved to be a big hit that has carried them even after the pandemic. Payments to the movie companies were either absent or much lower during the pandemic, which also helped the Grand Theatre to continue thriving.

The popcorn the theater serves is made with longtime owner Dick Kuhl’s original recipe, and it so popular that people come from across the region to get it.

“We’ve been here a long time,” Lundy said. “We’re just trying to carry on what Dick and Kathy [Kuhl] started.”