CENTURY'S ANNOUNCEMENT LEFT SOME MOVIEGOERS STUNNED. >> Reporter: ON THIS QUIET WEDNESDAY IN SAN FRANCISCO'S WESTFIELD MALL, MOVIE LOVER MARK NEARLY DROPPED EVERYTHING TO RUSH TO CENTURY 9 THEATERS ONE LAST TIME. >> I'M HERE TO TRY TO USE THE REMAINING BALANCE ON MY CINEMARK CARD BEFORE THEY CLOSE ON FRIDAY. >> Reporter: THEY TELLS ME HE'S SAD TO SEE SO MANY BUSINESSES CLOSING DOWNTOWN, BUT HE UNDERSTANDS WHY. >> BUSINESSES ARE HAVING TROUBLE COMING BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC. EVEN TO LOOK AT ME, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS MUCH AS I HAD BEEN PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC. >> Reporter: REGULAR CUSTOMERS OF CENTURY THEATERS GOT AN EMAIL SAYING THAT THEY -- THE LAST FILMS SHOWN HERE WILL BE TOMORROW. THE THEATER WILL OFFICIALLY CLOSE FRIDAY. A SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMED THE DECISION IN A SHORT STATEMENT, IN PART, IT HAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THE CENTURY SAN FRANCISCO 9 AND XD THEATER SHORTLY BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF ITS LEASE TERM. THE CITY HAS SEEN THE EXIT OF MORE THAN A DOZEN NATIONAL RETAILERS FROM DOWNTOWN SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR. MANY OF THOSE RETAILERS HAVE ALSO CLOSED THEIR OUTLETS IN OTHER CITIES AS WELL, OR MOVED TO SMALLER SPACES IN SAN FRANCISCO, IN RESPONSE TO A NATIONAL CHANGE IN CUSTOMER SHOPPING HABITS. RACHEL MICHELIN WITH THE CALIFORNIA RETAILERS ASSOCIATION SAYS CRIME IS ALSO A FACTOR IN RETAILERS' DECISIONS TO LEAVE THE CITY. >> WE HAVE SO MANY FOLKS THAT WILL COME INTO OUR STORES, REPEAT OFFENDERS. THEY STEAL, THEY SELL THEIR GOODS OUT ON THE STREETS, THEY PURCHASE DRUGS, THEY GO BACK IN THE STORE THE NEXT DAY, THEY CONTINUE THAT CYCLE. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES TO CALIFORNIA'S PROP 47, WHICH INCREASED THE VALUE OF GOODS THAT CAN BE STOLEN BEFORE IT BECOMES A FELONY. MICHELIN APPLAUDS THE MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF'S RECENT DIRECTIVES TO HAVE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE ARREST REPEATED DRUG USERS AND EFFORTS TO CRACK DOWN ON OPEN-AIR DRUG MARKETS IN THE TENDERLOIN AND SOUTH OF MARKET NEIGHBORHOODS. SAN FRANCISCO LEADERS HAVE LARGELY ACKNOWLEDGED THE FAST-MOVING CHANGES IN THE CITY AND HOPE THEY CAN HELP ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THOSE CHANGES.
