The Riviera, formerly known as Oamaru Cinema, opened on June 28.
It is the sister to The Riviera Cinema Balclutha, opened by the Rottenburys in August 2023.
The husband-and-wife team have crafted new events for cinema-goers, complementing the film programme, including a ladies night, a family fun day and a Halloween special.
Mr Rottenbury said it had been a busy start and they were enjoying the friendly local response.
“The holidays we just opened on, it’s the busiest the cinema’s been since 2019, which is pre-pandemic.
“It’s really good to see”, he said.
They aim to bring back fun in the cinema-going experience and diversify their audience.
“The locals have been really receptive … People have been openly saying it’s so much nicer in here and the cinemas are warm.
“We’re just trying to bring some life back into the place.”
Mrs Rottenbury said they planned more “arthouse films” following their successful film society classic film screenings.
“For the family fun day we’d like the parents to be able to come in and the kids to have face painting and activities, and prizes before the film.
“For the ladies night, it’s a night to indulge yourself. You get Champagne, popcorn, grazing tables and people can mingle and talk, with prizes on offer”, she said.
They also plan to hire theatre actors to play scary characters for their Halloween screenings.
The couple come from Ballarat in Australia and moved to New Zealand in 2022, arriving on one of the first flights after the Covid pandemic.
It followed a nine-month wait to “elope” to New Zealand for their wedding.
They “fell in love instantly” with the country and decided to stay.
They came to Otago in early 2023 where Mr Rottenbury worked as the Reading Cinemas manager in Dunedin before launching The Riviera Cinema Balclutha later in the year.
It was the first cinema in Balclutha for 50 years.
Their Balclutha cinema success, and the previous Reading Cinema experience, prompted the couple to buy the Oamaru Cinema and to move here with their two young children, Elijah, 3, and Mia, 1.
“I think we’ve come at the right time too, because there is a lot of excitement in cinema, in general”, Mr Rottenbury said.
“People want to go out.
“They want the social experience.
“That’s why we’re trying to do more, because cinemas in general need to incentivise.
“You can’t just put on a movie and hope people come any more.
“You need to put yourself out there”, he said.