The Fairmont Theatre is seen here, closed since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Owner Todd Frager states that he does have plans to reopen and eventually refurbish the building.

FAIRMONT — As vaccines roll out and life slowly gets back to normal after the pandemic, it’s no surprise to anyone that some businesses and industries are struggling to get back on their feet. One of those struggling entities is the movie theater.

Much has been speculated on whether or not COVID-19 permanently closed the Fairmont Theatre, but owner Todd Frager has stated that is not the case. Specifically, he has stated that some needed upgrades are still pending.

“It’s just one of the things that we have to do,” he said. “We’re going to open the theater as it is now, but I’m trying to put a package together.

As far as the immediate future, I’m looking at maybe within a month here. Right now I’m kind of hoping for Fast and Furious. But like I said we’re just trying to put a package together to retool the theater.”

Frager also said that refurbishing the theater is taking some time.

“Basically, I’m waiting for my supplier to tell me what his schedule is,” he said. “The projectors are there, so that’s the next stage. We picked out all the equipment and everything so we’re all done, we’re just trying to gather it and it’s just a logistics problem right now for what we need.”

“I’m hoping any day here to have a schedule date and away we go. We’re done picking everything out, we’ve just got to get it now. The seats are good, we know they’re available. Right now he’s waiting for screen frames which are steel and that’s a little bit of a problem I guess.

“The screens are OK, and then the rest of it is some sound equipment. Then we’ve still obviously got carpeting and stuff like that, but that’s all been picked out and ready to go. So we’re just waiting for the final details.”

“It’s a little frustrating,” he continued. “We’ve picked everything out, it’s just a matter of getting it and they don’t want to install until they know everything’s going to be there. That’s where we’re at right now.”

Frager also shared just how deeply COVID-19 impacted the business and is still affecting it even now.

“It killed the business, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “Right now the theaters that are open are barely doing 50 percent of their normal business. That’s why, in Fairmont, I just can’t afford to run that operation.

“So what we’re hoping to do is put a package together to refurbish the theater, but obviously I’m going to have to get open in the meantime. That’s what I’ve been working on. We have lease obligations and we’re trying to get that ironed out also.”

Frager said that he will know more about the immediate future of the theater in the coming days.