B&B Delivers More Than a Century of Movie Magic

by Shannon Bond

It’s 1924, an economic boom was sweeping the nation, and the film industry was thriving with stars like Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow gracing silent screens. Sports heroes like Babe Ruth and Red Grange were cultural icons, and F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway were publishing works that captured the time. Jazz, a booming economy, and automobiles were sweeping across the nation in a mix of roaring optimism, cultural change, and an underlying current of political tension.

In those days, theater was an immersive experience. Movies were silent, with captions splayed across each scene and live orchestras playing the accompaniment. Going to the theater was a social event, and films like Sherlock Jr. and The Thief of Bagdad were prevalent. Audiences cheered, and families dressed for the occasion. Depending on the town or city, theaters ranged from grand movie houses to humble operations. Film projectionist Elmer Bills, Sr. was enraptured by the magic and opportunity and purchased the Lyric Theatre in Salisbury, Missouri, establishing the Bills Theatre Company. Later, he would meet his wife and partner, Johnnie, playing the piano along to a silent movie. What started as a humble venture with a single-screen theater grew as Elmer and his family embraced the emerging popularity of film entertainment.

In 1936, a 10-year-old Sterling Bagby would cut his teeth in the film industry as a concession clerk for Elmer Bills. Years later, after returning from World War II, he would marry Pauline, a ticket seller in the Higbee, Missouri theater. The Bagby Traveling Picture Show was born. The couple screened movies for small towns in barns, schools, and parking lots before their operation evolved into a circuit of drive-in and indoor theaters.

In 1980, Sterling and Pauline would merge their Bagby entertainment company with Bills Theatres, operated by Elmer Jr. and his wife, Amy, forming B&B Theatres. Since then, B&B has quietly become one of America’s largest and most respected family-owned theater chains. With more than 100 years of history behind them, B&B Theatres has evolved from a small-town operation into a modern, multi-state entertainment brand with Bob Bagby at the helm.

Growth, Innovation, and the Changing Industry

B&B Theatres grew steadily in the latter half of the 20th Century, remaining competitive by constantly upgrading their offerings and embracing new technologies like digital projection, stadium seating, and surround sound. But how does a movie theater make money? Revenue streams include ticket sales, which offer the lowest profit margin of about 30 or 40 cents on the dollar, with the rest going back to the studios, concessions, a higher profit and way to offset the cost of tickets, advertising, which run at the beginning of each movie, and dining or bar services. Some theater companies offer premium luxury in select auditoriums for increased ticket costs. Other theaters offer memberships and subscription services or pursue partnerships with streaming services.

As B&B continues to expand, they have been exploring offerings such as events, esports, and live theater, which complement their staple revenue vehicles of tickets, concessions, advertising, premium auditoriums, and dining experiences. And while the movie theater industry saw seismic shifts with the rise of home video, cable television, and eventually streaming services, B&B focused on the magic of the theater experience. The company continued to thrive partly because it remained a family-run business, with the Bills and Bagby descendants still at the helm. This family-centered approach allowed them to make decisions with a personal touch, tailoring their services to the communities they served and staying nimble in an increasingly corporate-driven industry.

In the 2000s, the theater industry was facing a host of challenges. Rising competition from streaming platforms, shifting audience behaviors, and increasing costs were cutting into profits and attendance. Yet, the company weathered these storms with a proactive strategy focused on innovation and diversification. In 2014, B&B acquired Dickenson Theatres and managed to merge the two companies without firing or laying off employees. A noble feat and a testament to the continued dedication and values of the family-owned enterprise. Later, during the pandemic, as theaters nationwide struggled to survive, B&B pulled through as a team because they had planned well for a downturn and devised novel ways to offer services (such as auditorium rentals).

As for technology’s march through the ages, projectors have evolved from 35mm to digital to laser, and one of the company’s major innovations was the introduction of Grand Screen® auditoriums—B&B’s answer to the IMAX experience. These massive screens deliver superior visuals and sound quality, making B&B a leader in immersive cinematic experiences without the significant price tag. They also added MX4D® Motion EFX Theatres, which offer a fully sensory experience with moving seats, scents, water, and wind effects that align with the action on screen. Much like the 1920s, with the excitement of live orchestras and spectacle, movie-goers were once again immersed in the story.

B&B also introduced SCREENPLAY®, a unique theater designed for families with young children. SCREENPLAY® auditoriums feature a play area inside the theater, allowing kids to play before and during the movie, creating a welcoming environment for families who want to introduce their children to the cinema in a comfortable, low-stress way.

By continuing to invest in luxury experiences, like leather recliner seating, self-serve soda machines, and top-of-the-line concessions, B&B Theatres transformed the traditional movie-going experience into a full-service entertainment outing. In select locations, they also opened Marquee Suites®, which offer in-theater dining, alcohol service, bars, and restaurants with gourmet food options. But getting moviegoers through the door is always challenging because everyone wants everybody’s time and attention, explains Executive Director of Communications and Content, Paul Farnsworth.

“We’re not only competing with streaming or whatever is on TV; we’re competing with high school football or college football or professional football or whatever season it is. Or ballet or, you name it, nice days…bad days. And so, our mission once we get them here is to provide the experience. Give them something they want to have repeated and ideally something shareable.” Farnsworth’s commitment to B&B and the magic of the movies is evident as he points to a massive popcorn display he made in his garage with his kids.

“I created that because I wished there was some way to create something organic and get some earned media. I mean, it looks like it was made in somebody’s garage because it was and it’s fun to see parents and kids line up at that thing and take pictures. And on the back, it says, if you feel so inclined, give us a share; here’s our tag. At the end of the day, we’re fans first, and we love popcorn, and we love movies, and we’re celebrating the fact that they do, too.”

B&B Theatres operates 554 screens at more than 55 locations across 16 states, making it the fifth-largest theater chain in the United States. Despite this growth, the company has maintained its core values of family, community, and entertainment. Each B&B location reflects these principles, often catering to its local audience’s unique tastes and needs.

“If we’re talking about the city or the people around us, we listen, we respond,” Farnsworth says. “One of the things that is super important to me…is if you send us an email, you get an answer, if you message on Facebook, you get a reply.” And they are good about listening to their employee family, too, he adds. “You know, one of the things we have is a welcome week where, if a new manager is hired or promoted, we bring them to Liberty just to put names with faces, but one of the things that we say is, as a manager you are forfeiting your right to remain silent. If you have a question, you must ask it; if you have a suggestion, you have to tell us.” Despite the many years of experience in the B&B corporate office, staying humble, he says, and not assuming they have all the answers is essential.
This operational open-mindedness has paid off as B&B Theatres has adapted to the demands of the modern entertainment market. At select theaters, they now offer a host of novel experiences. Some, but not all, of B&B’s unique offerings include:

• special events such as live theater (yes, performed live in a movie auditorium),
• movie series such as Harry Potter and more obscure offerings (anime/older titles),
• private screenings,
• bowling, pickle ball, and arcade,
• live concert, esports, and sporting event broadcasts,
• a mystery movie night,
• movie parties, birthdays, game nights, and special events,
• retro movie nights,
• reel crafts (yes, bring your crochet or other craft),
• and sensory-friendly films.
  

These events and offerings are evolving, and the shift to multi-entertainment spaces has allowed the company to tap into new revenue streams and bring more people into theaters for a wide range of experiences. “We learned over the course of the pandemic and subsequent writers’ and actors’ strikes that things can occasionally happen to disrupt the Hollywood machine, and historically, even 10 years ago, if movies stopped being made, we would have literally almost nothing to offer.” It was a wake-up call for the industry, Farnsworth explains. “So we began incorporating into the new builds and remodels, non-theatrical streams as well. We have bowling alleys, arcades, non-theatrical draws like trivia, we do bingo, we’ve done bridge nights, there’s Golden Girls bridge night in our theater in Tampa. And these are just things not only to bring people and money in but to solidify the theater as sort of a commercial and social hub in the community.” He explains that the idea is to inspire people to think, let’s go to B&B; something is happening there.

And, of course, there is always the magic of the movies. The booking team has a weekly conversation with the studios to negotiate titles, rates, and screening windows for titles. It’s a non-stop effort with assistance from the National Association of Theatre Owners, who lobby on behalf of the industry to keep theatrical release windows in place. A theatrical window is the amount of time a movie is in theaters before it goes on demand, which is critical for theaters. But what about older titles? Sometimes retro movies or more obscure or niche titles are initiated by the studios (like the Goonies or Twighlight), but often, they are ideas thought up by the B&B creative and marketing team (or others). The cost is much lower for the theater per screen, offering moviegoers a nostalgic experience they can’t get at home.

B&B also works with the studios to offer discounts on Tuesdays. Studios are very specific about what can be discounted, when, and what discounting tiers theaters can have, but it helps theaters attract customers. “If you have a big family, you’re not coming here every day. And for most families, they come maybe once a quarter, maybe once a month and so [we] want it to be special and worth the investment.” The discounts offer families a chance to snag tickets starting at 6 dollars if they are part of the Backstage Pass (a free B&B membership) and a way to experience more premium theater options they may not usually pay for.

A Legacy of Giving

It’s not just the tastes and needs of the audience that B&B caters to, it’s the needs of underserved and special needs communities. Special needs kids and adults are free to use B&B’s sensory backpacks for any movie. They also offer sensory-friendly showtimes, featuring brighter lights, lower audio, or open captions.
Farnsworth explains that they have a great relationship with Variety Children’s Charity and make an effort to serve underserved and special needs communities when they can, “from exceeding ADA requirements to sensory backpacks that are available for checkout for free, sensory showtimes where we bring the lights up and the sound down, captioning, you name it, adult changing stations, whatever the thing is, to the extent we are able. And I think you could extrapolate that, apply that philosophy to anything.”

“Our staff and coaches love the theater experience, and our associates love the experience,” says Joey Soutter, general manager at Fulfillment House in Kearney, Missouri. Fulfillment House offers meaningful employment to adults with special needs. Job coaches help associates fill orders for shipping, print documents for customers, and make crafts. Beyond the workplace, Fulfillment House organizes events, fosters community, and provides social connections for associates. “We’ve used vans and organized movie nights at B&B Theatre in Liberty, Missouri. We can reserve our own auditorium at the theater, and the associates can vote on which move they see from the offered selection. Last time, we saw the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s a great experience and one of the associate’s favorite activities,” adds Kurt Hamilton, Fulfillment House’s executive director.

For Variety, B&B held an open invitation town hall meeting to discover what special needs communities and caretakers needed from a theater. These sessions, whether for Variety or a new theater or market, not only help B&B staff and leadership understand the communities they are in, but they are a way to explain what the theater is offering and open up channels of communication. “We do that often in new openings at new locations or when we’re coming into a new market, just to say, ‘These are the things we are promising you that you will experience when you visit us for the first time and if you don’t, tell us, and if you do, tell us.’”
In addition to partnerships and services, B&B has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Variety. Through an agreement, they ensure funds raised by the theater stay in the towns where they were raised and help provide local services to families and children in need.

Looking to the Future

After 100 years, the Bills and Bagby families remain deeply involved in the business’s day-to-day operations, ensuring the same values and love for cinema are at the heart of every major decision. And as the film industry continues to change with more small-screen streaming and subscription options, B&B remains committed to delivering the immersive experience only a theater can provide. Since 2021, B&B has acquired or remodeled 14 locations, and looking ahead, the company plans to expand its footprint in fresh and existing markets, with plans for new locations incorporating more luxury and premium services. They are also exploring additional digital and experiential entertainment opportunities.

For those reluctant to leave the comfort of their couches and big-screen televisions, fear not; B&B offers ultrawide, heated recliners (and discount days). And even though a Tuesday night family movie at B&B looks a lot different now than it did in the early 20th Century, it’s still an experience. Instead of families decked out in their Sunday best, ready to clap and sway with live orchestras, kids and families attending a late-night movie in the 21st Century shuffle in carrying their favorite blankets and stuffed animals, taking selfies and group shots at displays on the way to immersive surround sound and amazing digital screens. While the experience has evolved, the spectacle and magic still shine through.