BEATRICE, NE — 154 days is a long time for a business to be closed.

“Oh this has been crazy, no I never did think something like that would happen,” Beatrice Movies owner Mike Schaefer said.

It’s also a long time to go without a trip to the movie theater. Far too long if you ask Schaefer.

“Oh they miss it and they miss the popcorn," Shaefer said. "Yeah, we were happy to see people back.”

Beatrice Movies just finished its second weekend back open after being closed since March 20.

“Well, I didn’t think it would last," Schaefer said. "I thought maybe this would be a three or four week deal - and then every month they just kept moving all the movies out.”

But now Warner Brothers is offering old movies at a discount and some new films are coming out. Unhinged with Russel Crowe played the last couple weekends. Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “Tenet” is scheduled to debut this weekend.

Schaefer and his staff are taking extra precautions to make sure moviegoers are safe. That includes roping off certain rows, putting barriers at the concession stand, encouraging mask wearing and sanitizing with UV light.

“After everybody’s out of there, we suit up with glasses and everything and put the wand over every seat and it kills all the germs,” Schaefer said.

All that, in order to make some money for the business that’s busy season is typically April through August.  Schaefer says he received a PPP loan and a government grant but that money went pretty quickly.

“Just because you’re closed down doesn’t mean all the expenses stop," Schaefer said. "We still have utilities and mortgage payments and insurance.”

Five months after shutting down, Schaefer says it seems like Hollywood is beginning to start back up.

“Just slowly but surely… and hopefully in about a month and a half, two months, we’ll be full force,” Schaefer said.

The historic Holly Theatre has remained closed while Schaefer gets a replacement surround sound processor. He hopes that theatre can reopen on Thursday.