The Revue Cinema: Lessons in surviving (and thriving) in a monopolized world

You’d think that going up against a competitor that holds three-quarters of the market (cough, Cineplex, cough) would be suicide, and you’d generally be right.But the Revue Cinema in Toronto – Canada’s oldest operating movie theatre – isn’t just holding its own, it’s doing exceptionally well.The theatre is run by the non-profit Revue Film Society, which this year became a charity, so it’s numbers are public. And the numbers show that revenue and profit are climbing exponentially.That’s impressive given the non-stop challenges the theatre has faced over its history – not just Cineplex, but also moral panics, pearl-clutching regulators, a pandemic and a hostile landlord.On this episode of Do Not Pass Go, we dig into how the Revue has persevered and entered what seems to be a new golden age, and we learn how its strategies and executions can be emulated – not just by other independent cinemas, but by all small businesses who are competing against their own respective behemoths. A special note: I’d like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season! Thanks to all for reading, listening and subscribing through these first few months of our launch. I’m taking a break for the holidays and will be back in early January. We’re just getting started!And if you’re looking for last-minute gift ideas, why not a paid subscription to Do Not Pass Go? Give the gift of joining the movement against oligopolies! Do Not Pass Go is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Do Not Pass Go at www.donotpassgo.ca/subscribe