Blackfoot Movie Mill modifies its rules due to vandalism

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) - For four years, the Lott family has had the Blackfoot Movie Mill up and running, transforming a former car dealership into a local fan favorite. 

"People would come in and say I used to work in the parts department and then they'd step into auditorium three where that was and are just amazed by the transformation that took place," said General Manager Brandon Lott.

But as of late, the Movie Mill has had a problem with teenagers vandalizing the building during business hours. 

"Most recently, we had someone go into one of the restrooms and they stood up on top of the toilet tank and shattered the bottom of the toilet tank," Lott said. "It flooded the bathroom and flooded the hallway."

Due to the incident, they had to change their policy for their family restrooms. 

"They are locked all the time now," Lott said. "If anybody needs to use the family restroom, then they need to come and get a key from a staff member. That's unfortunate, because those family restrooms get used by people with young kids and people with disabilities."

The Movie Mill also has cameras throughout the building, showing you what's going on 24/7. They have also changed their age policy to fit Hollywood standards. 

"In order for anybody to see a PG-13 movie, if they're under the age of 13, they need to be accompanied by an adult," Lott said. "In order for them to see a R-rated film, if they're under the age of 17, they need to be accompanied by an adult. That hasn't always been the case. It used to be that an adult just needed to purchase the ticket."

What separates the Movie Mill from other movie theaters are their prices, with $7 tickets and even cheaper prices for concessions. 

"It'd be really easy for us to charge more than what we charge for a ticket, and especially charge more than what we charge for concessions," Lott said. "But we've really made it a goal to be family and community-oriented, so that families can afford to come and afford to come more often."

Even with the recent events, Lott says he is proud to work with the Blackfoot community day in and day out. 

"We talk about the vandalism and the things that are going on, but for the most part, 98% or 99% of the community is great," Lott said.