I love movies. And I love seeing movies in a movie theater.

Star Wars. Fargo. Thelma and Louise. I could go on. We all have our favorites. And seeing those movies with friends — and popcorn — at a movie theater simply makes the experience all the more special.

Imagine my disappointment after only a few weeks in Vicksburg when the theater at the mall closed.

Imagine my excitement this week when it was announced B&B Theatres would take over the mall theater and it plans to reopen it shortly.

That’s good news for a number of reasons. Perhaps what should matter most to us is what it says about our market that a new company stepped up so quickly to operate the theater. The mall’s management has done a pretty good job filling empty storefronts I’m told, particularly considering how shoppers seem to be gravitating away from malls.

We as shoppers surely are fickle. We decided in most markets years ago we no longer wanted to shop in downtowns. We preferred shopping centers. Then, we turned our backs on shopping centers, choosing shopping malls instead. Now, shopping malls all over the country have shuttered in favor of “new” strip malls. What’s old is new again?

Technology advances, too, change everything, and while it will make me sound like a stodgy old lady, I don’t think all those changes are for the better. I’m sorry, but watching a movie on a DVD in your living room, where you and your friends pause it every few minutes and check Facebook just doesn’t seem right.

Despite what I think, things like Netflix, Redbox, Hulu, Amazon Prime and others have eroded the number of people who see movies in theaters.

That means, if you’re like me and enjoy the movie theater experience, you need to make certain to support B&B Theatres when it opens for business at our mall theater.

I think we forget sometimes we’ve got a stake in things here, including which businesses are successful and which are not. We love the idea of a movie theater, yet we’ll drive to Clinton or some other community to go to one.

All you need to do to appreciate all the offerings of retailers in Vicksburg — local and national — is spend some time living elsewhere. Trust me: We are truly blessed. Simply consider Vicksburg’s downtown. I had dinner Tuesday with about 20 or so of my co-workers and downtown Vicksburg was bustling — on a Tuesday evening, no less!

However, if we want these businesses to thrive, we must do our part. That’s only reasonable, isn’t it?

I’ll be seeing a movie at the Vicksburg Mall as soon as B&B Theatres opens its doors. Like movies? Give me a call. The more the merrier!

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Jan Griffey is editor of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at jan.griffey@vicksburgpost.com or by calling 601-636-4545, ext. 123.