> people have forgotten how to go to the Theatre

I went to see Top Gun a couple weeks ago, it was my first time in a theater in years. There were five different ads, the gist of all of which were, "Don't forget you're in public, so don't talk or pull out your phone or get up if you don't have to". One of them literally said, "We know it's been a while since you've watched a movie in public, and maybe you've forgotten how that works".

It was sort of condescending but at the same time I totally get the need.

And yet some of the audience ignored all that entirely.

In my particular theater that didn't happen since my family was 60% of the audience (well actually my wife kept getting up and doing stuff until I reminded her we were in a theater) but yeah I've heard it happens a lot now.

I think if theaters want people to keep coming, they will need to make the experience better than home, and that will include enforcing no phone/no noise rules.

We had the usual cadre of Teenaged boys, but we also had an Indian Couple behind us, I'm not sure if that one was cultural or not.

That seems to be the trend in suburbs too - a sort of planned development with single family homes and a denser "main street" area with commercial on the ground floor and condos or professional offices above. Some have apartment buildings alongside too. Sometimes there is a movie theater, library, or community space mixed in as well.

Most of the commercial space is either restaurants/food or service places like hair salons, dry cleaners, etc. Very little in the way of retail stores. Mostly as the occasional Target/Walmart/etc. big retailer nearby. This seems to be the assumption for single professionals/married without kids demographic: more dining, but buying things is mostly online or big box general retail stores.

I value the small amount of retail in my little downtown main street. There is a reasonably sized ace hardware within 5 minutes walk, and I'm there almost every week to pick up lightbulbs, screws, etc. The staff are friendly and helpful. It's so much more convenient than driving to a big box store, finding parking, walking through 20 isles. Sure, it doesn't have whiteware or a lumber yard, but I'll sorely miss it if it ever closes. Same thing with the office supply store. Most tech stuff they have is the same price as amazon, and they offer great printing services.

I sound like a shill but Alamo Drafthouse is the only theater I bother with anymore unless it's IMAX or similar.

I refuse to see a movie at Alamo Drafthouse. Overpriced mediocre food & drink options, slow service (my popcorn and drinks would often come 1/2 way through the movie) and less comfortable seating than other local theatres.