The Alamo Drafthouse, which is a purely magical haven for cinephiles that truly love going to the movies, is emerging from its recent bankruptcy filing with new plans to expand over the next year with five new locations.
The news comes after Alamo Drafthouse had a very successful weekend financially with its biggest box office weekend since the pandemic began. The weekend was bolstered by a huge return of its Los Angeles location that saw sold-out shows for all movies and showtimes for the entire Memorial Day weekend from Friday to Monday. This is the news moviegoers like to hear and it's a far cry from the doom and gloom that all theater chains experienced during the last year of the pandemic. Alamo Drafthouse CEO Shelli Taylor had this to say in a statement about the news:
"We're so thrilled to be reopening theaters across the country and welcoming back audiences for an unparalleled moviegoing experience with films we've been eagerly awaiting for over a year now. We're so grateful to our incredible partners at Altamont and Fortress, who are completely aligned with our vision for Alamo Drafthouse's growth. It's incredibly exciting to be back on that path so we can bring the Alamo Drafthouse experience to new locations around the country, including our very first locations in Manhattan, St. Louis, and D.C."
The five new locations will be coming to Manhattan, Staten Island, St. Louis, as well as two in Washington D.C. The most anticipated of these locations appears to be the Manhattan location in New York that is coming this fall. The 14-screen theater in Lower Manhattan will also be the home of The Press Room, a brand-new museum, letterpress print shop, bar, and even event space. Founder and Executive Chairman Tim League said about the space that "The Press Room will feature an astounding collection that will serve as a museum of film and advertising history. And with 14 screens, we will be able to support the important New York openings of a vast array of films. We're so excited and can't wait for New York movie lovers to see what we have in store for them at our Lower Manhattan theater."
Alamo Drafthouse doesn't have the titan status of AMC Theatres or Regal Cinemas but they have been growing their business steadily prior to the pandemic by catering to cinephiles that LOVE the moviegoing experience. Alamo Drafthouse had more than 30 locations to its name before theaters closed much of last year but the chain, based in Texas, was a pioneer in the dine-in, enhanced theatrical experience. Many theaters have adopted this experience but movie fans will tell you that no one does it quite like The Alamo Drafthouse.
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