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Nuggets of knowledge (biopic–style) from Moxie Cinema owners Dan and Nicole Chilton.
Dan and Nicole Chilton went on their first date, or as Nicole calls it, “group outing” to see The Perfect Storm at the old Town and Country movie theater. Little did they know at the time, after Town and Country would eventually close, the next theater to open in Springfield would be owned by the two of them. Not only that, they’d be married.
After trying their hand at corporate life in St. Louis, the now-married Chiltons decided it was time to bring themselves and an independent movie theater to Springfield. Around the same time, a local developer was giving up hope on the same idea. “We cashed in our 401(k) and our savings,” explains Dan. “We had been thinking about it, and the developer had at the same time. And had those things not happened at the same time, the Moxie might not have existed.” You might say it was a perfect storm.
Now here they are four years later, and they’ve already upgraded to a new, bigger theater with two screens and seating for 150. Combine that with a fiercely loyal—and increasing—fan base, and they are excited about the realized potential. “Two screens has allowed us to have movies longer,” explains Dan. “The second screen allows us to be more flexible.” Those who loved the Moxie before still love the bigger Moxie. The space may be larger, but the Moxie vibe still remains. “We plan to keep things pretty simple,” says Nicole.
That is not to say the new place doesn’t have decidedly more amenities. The most striking feature is the expansive lobby. There is also now beer on tap, and the seats in the bigger theater are 22 inches wide. According to Dan, the only drawback is, “the distance to the booth from the concession stand was much shorter.” The Moxie is indeed bigger with more possibilities. Like the possibilities of more fortuitous “group outings.”
What’s your favorite…
Movie?
Nicole: “Amelie.”
Dan: “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”
Movie quote?
Dan: “Nicole does the Orcs from Lord of the Rings.”
Nicole: “We’ve been eating maggoty bread for three stinkin’ days!”
Popcorn seasoning?
Dan: “Kettle corn.”
Nicole: “White cheddar.”
Thing about the Moxie’s new theatre space?
Nicole: “My own office.”
Dan: “Bigger projection booth.”
Nickname?
Nicole: “People have started calling us Dannicole, but I like to think of us as separate individuals.”
Dan: “It sounds like barnacle, something that grows on the bottom of the boat.”
Lionel Richie song?
Nicole: “Hello.”
Dan: “Dancin’ on the Ceiling.”
Movie played at the Moxie?
Dan: “Caché.”
Nicole: “Water.”
Math term?
Nicole: “Math term? What’s math?
Dan: “Deposit.”
Movie title?
Nicole: “Me and You and Everyone We Know. It doesn’t sound like a movie title.”
Dan: “The Hottie and the Nottie.”
Card game?
Nicole: “Hand and Foot, which we never get to play anymore. We’re old biddies.”
Dan: “Nickel, Nickel, Nickel.”
Event put on by the Moxie?
Nicole: “Air guitar competition.”
Dan: “Silent Film Summer Series.”
St. Louis Cardinal?
Nicole: “Albert Pujols.”
Dan: “Adam Wainwright.”
Funny medical term?
Nicole: “Temporomandibular joint dysfunction.”
Dan: “Gout.”
Synonym for the word moxie?
Dan and Nicole: “Spunk”
Thing about the fall?
Nicole: “The pumpkins.”
Dan: “It gets darker earlier, which brings people in to see movies.”
Actor?
Dan: “Chris Cooper.”
Nicole: “Sam Rockwell. But if I had to date my choice, it would be Killian Murphy.”
Springfield gem?
Dan: “We really like Fun Acre.”
Nicole: “I just like downtown.”
