Marcus Theatres, a division of The Marcus Corp. in Milwaukee, announced it has signed an agreement to purchase MESCOP Inc., a film buying and booking business located in Sussex.
Under the agreement, Marcus Theatres will perform film buying services for 14 exhibitors with 75 screens at 20 locations in three Midwestern states. Services will include film buying, booking and other related responsibilities and management services.
Marcus Theatres currently books films for its 687 owned and managed screens, as well as an additional 146 screens operated by other owners. Including the MESCOP locations, Marcus Theatres will provide film buying services for a total of 908 screens.
MESCOP was founded in 1971 by Fred Florence. The company is currently operated by his son, James Florence, who will retire upon completion of the sale.
“We are pleased to further expand our film buying services with the addition of the MESCOP locations. This is a win-win for everyone and we look forward to working with the MESCOP exhibitors,” said Paul Silk, senior vice president of film for Marcus Theatres.
“These locations are a natural fit for us within our Midwestern footprint. We know the markets well and will utilize our programming expertise to meet the needs of these audiences,” said Jeff Tomachek, executive vice president of Marcus Theatres.
James Florence said, “Marcus Theatres is a highly respected circuit that has been in business for more than 75 years. I know that my exhibitors and their customers will benefit from the experience of the Marcus Theatres film department and its well-established relationships with the film studios.”
The purchase is expected to close prior to year end. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
