If you think you’ve noticed more people going in and out of 3rd Street Cinemas in downtown Santa Rosa, you’re right.

And there’s a simple reason for that.

As of last week, admission costs $3 for “every movie, all the time” at all of the theater’s six screens, said owner Dan Tocchini. It’s not a temporary promotion, he said. That price stands.

The movies are relatively new but second run, having finished their first run at Tocchini’s Roxy Stadium 14 theater nearby. Current offerings include “Stone” and “Secretariat.”

The 3rd Street Cinemas were built in 1977, and Tocchini has owned the building for eight years and recently spruced it up a bit.

“We refurbished, repainted and put in some new wall coverings. They’re all rocking chair seats in there,” Tocchini said.

3rd Street Cinemas was running alternative, independent and foreign films, until Tocchini reopened the former Rialto Cinemas on Summerfield Road as the new Summerfield Cinemas, and moved that programming over there.

That’s when he decided to bring down the prices at 3rd Street.

“This kind of program takes time to catch on,” Tocchini said of the $3 tickets, “because people have to find out about it.”

Judging by the fairly full lobby earlier today, people are finding out.

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