Arts & Entertainment
Summit Locals Keep The Matinee Club Going Strong
The club, started by 2 former stay-at-home Summit moms, wanted to give parents a chance to catch new movies. It now has 1,000 members.
SUMMIT, NJ — What started as a way for two stay-at-home Summit mothers to get a chance to relax and catch a movie is still going strong 11 years later.
Helene Hulse and Catherine Lyness started The Matinee Club in January 2005 at local theaters to show movies once a month at 11:30 a.m. to allow time for parents to watch movies while their kids were at school without having to hire a babysitter.
“We are neighbors and both had children in elementary school at the time and loved the movies,” Lyness said. “But we couldn’t find theaters that offered movies during the day or if they did they were far away and we wouldn’t be done in time to pick up the kids.”
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The two emailed a bunch of friends to gauge interest in the club. From there The Matinee Club was born.
It started at the Summit Movie Theater, which has since closed, with 50 members. Now the club has showings in Chatham, Millburn, Ridgewood and Montclair and has more than 1,000 members.
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The way it works is anyone can sign up for $85 which allows them to pick between two movies each month at any of the available locations for eight months running from October through May.
Moviegoers can also opt to try just one film for $10.
“We are empty-nesters now but we still go to every event,” Lyness said. “And we have seen a large increase in the senior population as well.”
“Many stay-at-home moms and now dads come out to the theater, check out a movie, eat some popcorn and even stay after the show to chat with friends,” said Hulse. “It’s a great outing.”
Movie this season include "Battle of the Sexes," "Stronger," "The Mountain Between Us," with more to be announced. The club has previously shown "Hacksaw Ridge," "Moonlight," "La La Land," "Deadpool," and other adults-only films.
The club shows movies in Chatham on Wednesday and Thursday, Milburn on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Montclair on Wednesdays, and Ridgewood on Tuesdays.
For more information or to sign up visit thematineeclub.com or Facebook.
(Image via The Matinee Club)
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