Marcus Theatres: 90 years of movie magic, humble start in Ripon

MILWAUKEE - Marcus Theatres is a name synonymous with the movies. For 90 years, the biggest stars and stories have played for generations on a Marcus silver screen. And the journey of this Wisconsin company is, itself, a tale worthy of Hollywood.

"Marcus is the icon"

What we know:

It’s a name synonymous with the movies.

"Marcus is the icon," said Scott Farina from the lobby of the Marcus Majestic in Waukesha.

For generations, the biggest stars and stories have played on a Marcus silver screen.

"The memories of when they were younger," added Beth Farina. "Especially for all the new releases for Disney."

"As a kid," Joe Domask said. "I just remember going and seeing ‘Rocky IV’ with my older brother and my dad."

For decades, the Marcus Corporation has been at the forefront of art, entertainment and hospitality in Milwaukee.

"The first thing we want to do," said Majestic General Manager Andy High. "We want to wow and dazzle the guests."

But this lobby at the aptly-named Majestic is not where the story of that famous family begins.

"Remember where you came from," stated third-generation President and CEO Greg Marcus. "And don't lose sight of what got you there."

For that, we take a trip up the road and back in time.

Act One – The Setup

The backstory:

"It is kind of nostalgic," Nicky Yeoman said from the lobby of the Campus Cinema in Ripon. "Just knowing that it is the first Marcus theater."

There’s a tool in screenwriting called the three-act structure. It carries through classics from "The Wizard of Oz," to "The Godfather" to "Star Wars."

Act One is where we meet our main characters – Greg Marcus, his father Steve and a Polish immigrant named Ben.

"Here’s our founder," Area General Manager Tom Reichelt said from the Campus lobby, pointing to a plaque on the wall. "Mr. Marcus himself."

Ben Marcus got his start in the newspaper business – running a paper route and selling ads to movie theatres.

"And he said, ‘You know?’ I'd like to be in that business,’" Greg said. "And that's how it all started."

At 24 years old, after a vacation to scout locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Ben Marcus bought an abandoned department store in Ripon. He opened the Campus Theatre on November 1, 1935.

"It’s a one-screen theater, traditional seating," said Reichelt. "This is what it started as."

It became so much more.

Act Two – The Confrontation

Big picture view:

This Act typically presents our characters with a series of challenges. But it’s also known as The Build.

And from humble beginnings, that’s exactly what they did – fueled by what’s known in the company as Ben’s Commandments.

"Your employees, they're your most important asset," stated Greg. "So take good care of them."

Greg enjoyed a front row seat to all his grandfather, and then father, built.

"People don't realize that at one point," he remembered. "Restaurants were the biggest part of our business."

Hotels came next. The company bought the Pfister out of bankruptcy in 1962, went public a decade later as the Marcus Corporation and is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Today, Marcus Theatres is the fourth-largest chain in the U.S., with almost 80 locations and a thousand screens across 17 states.

And think about this – there’s no Mr. AMC or Greg Cinemark welcoming fellow-movie lovers to those theatres.

"What you see on that screen is me," Greg said, laughing. "I mean, it is totally me."

Even those familiar trailers have an origin story. In 2012, Greg was asked to give a personal appeal for a longtime partner, the United Way.

"And a star was born," said United Way President and CEO Amy Lindner. "It started with highlighting United Way but as we started seeing the impact of that, I think Greg thought, ‘This is pretty fun. How else can we do this the rest of the year?’ "

Now, actual Hollywood stars appear in those trailers. And Greg has become something of a TikTok sensation.

"I pretty much do what they say and it tends to work out pretty well," Greg said of the two women who run the Marcus social media platforms. "But it's great because none of my contemporaries ever see it!"

Like his grandfather writing movie ads for the local paper, it’s a way to reach your audience.

An ability to stay relevant that goes back to more of Ben’s Commandments. Own your own real estate and keep your balance sheet strong.

"When we wanted to put in kitchens and bars," Greg explained. "We didn't have to go to a landlord and have a negotiation."

That also allowed the company to invest in new technology, like DreamLoungers.

"When we saw it, knew it worked, we moved very quickly," he said. "And very quickly had the most stadium seating on a relative basis of any theater chain in the country."

It’s all meant to keep people going to the movies with an experience you won’t find on your couch.

"You can hear that plane go from the front of the screen," said High, the Majestic General Manager, describing a scene from "Top Gun: Maverick." "And rumble right over your head to the back of the screen."

And Ben’s Commandments were never more important than when the entertainment world faced its own brutal plot twist.

Act Three – The Resolution

Dig deeper:

Act Three, the climax of the story. Will the characters succeed? Like many things in the early days of the pandemic, a future for Marcus was anything but guaranteed. 

"Had our balance sheet not been the way it was," said Greg. "I don't know that you and I would be sitting here because we would have been done under by the pandemic."

The dual challenges of shutdowns and streaming shrunk two things. The number of movies being made and the windows of how quickly they’re available at home.

"To Marcus’ credit, they could’ve walked away from this during the recession," said Adam Yeomans from the lobby of the Campus Cinema. "They kept it open, because it’s the first one. So I think that speaks volumes for their legacy."

Now, there are signs of positive change. Marcus Theatres had a record Memorial Day Weekend.

"It means people are going to the movies," Greg stated. "And not just the big ones. The medium ones, the ones they don't know about, the Sinners of the world. Wasn't Sinners a great movie?"

Greg still has a standing date night with his wife every week, where else? The movies.

"What's the last great movie I saw?" Greg said, pondering the question. "Can I cheat? Can I look at my phone for a second? I see so many."

The new "Superman" comes to mind, "Jurassic World."

"You know, people getting eaten by dinosaurs," said Greg. "It’s fun."

You can’t be a critic when it’s your business to get people in the door.

"I've said this during the pandemic and I believe this to this day," Greg stated. "Humans really want to be together. They do."

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"Assuming we're all still humans and we aren't just been replaced by AI bots," he continued through a laugh. "'Terminator' does not come true. As long as we're still all human beings, there will be a business in people being together."

It’s our character’s point of view proven true over 90 magical years – starting a long time ago at a theater not so far away.

Full interview

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