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Topic: District Theatres

Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-01-2017 08:01 AM

quote: Dennis Benjamin
At our locations,there are handicap companion seats and spaces that can only be sold to a customer in person at the theatre box office.

Well, that makes sense. Although I could picture a complaint about not being able to buy in advance. I wonder if the bigger chains have thought of instituting handicap club cards or other pre-registration? Why not? They data mine everything else.

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Geoff Jones
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 579
From: Broomfield, CO, USA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 07-01-2017 10:37 AM

quote: Bobby Henderson
Overall I still dislike reserved seating.

Visiting a reserved seating theater pretty much requires you to buy your tickets online in advance if you want a good seat and/or are buying 2 or more tickets and want to sit together. Buying online adds another buck or more of surcharges to a ticket price that is already probably pretty damned expensive on its own.

Buying a reserved seat is no guarantee your seat will be open when you get to the theater. Like Jarod said, very often some ignorant asshole will be in your seat and you have to confront him about it. Sometimes they move without any trouble. Other times you'll have to get a manager involved while others in the theater give you the vibe, "why don't you just sit somewhere else and let the asshole have your seat?" In order to prevent that needless bullshit you're still stuck needing to get to the theater early to keep idiots out of your reserved seats.

I echo these complaints, and add one more: It's impossible to tell from online seating charts how close the seats are to the screen and what the sight-lines are like. It's sometimes impossible to even know which seats are in the center of the auditorium because of the way the charts are skewed. But when everyone reserves seats online before the show, you're stuck. You can't get there early and decide that you want to sit somewhere different because it's likely booked.

The only theater I've seen to get this right is the Seattle Cinerama . Their seating chart is laid out fairly accurately and their "Virtual Tour " gives you a pretty good perspective of what the view will be like from each seat (including mine - C14/C15 [Wink]

)

Geoff

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 07-10-2017 11:21 AM

Back to the original reason for the post:

ARTICLE LINK

Houston's Bay Area residents have a new dine-in movie theater at a familiar spot.

When the old Star Cinema Grill location at 1020 W. NASA Parkway in Webster moved to Baybrook Mall, it left the former space vacant. Friday, owner Omar Khan debuted Distrct Theatre there, in a polished, revamped space.

District Theatre is a six-screen movie theater that doubles as a chef-driven restaurant with scratch-made fare, according to Star Cinema Grill vice president of development Jason Ostrow. While it's under the large Star Cinema Grill chain umbrella, it's defined as a more "traditional movie theater experience" with "enhanced food and beverage offerings."

Star Cinema Grill originally put down roots at the Webster address in 2004. The launch of District Theatre is the company's return to its original locale.

"We are extremely excited to bring a new and unique movie going experience back to Webster where it all began," Ostrow said. "District Theatres will bring the community the luxury of choice. The choice to avoid the mall traffic and stay close to home. The choice to eat dinner and watch a movie. The choice to let loose a little and enjoy cocktails and a movie."

The new interior has a stylish lobby, leather reclining seats and a full beer and cocktail menu. Among the food menu items are appetizers, desserts and entrees that verge from comfort-food staples to more upscale offerings.

"If you want to have popcorn, candy and a soda just like when you were a kid, we will have all of those at our concession stand," Ostrow said. "Or, if you want to have a grilled shortrib sandwich and a pint of craft beer because you aren't a kid anymore, we have 18 taps and a full kitchen."

District Theatre and the Star Cinema Grill which is now near Baybroook Mall are similar when it comes to the type of movies they show: a tightly edited selection of new releases. Although the crowd may be different, since many mall-goers tend to skew younger than the former Star Cinema Grill might attract.

The owners say they're just happy to have the former space open again.

"More than a year ago, this vision started on a white board in our office, and has blossomed into something very special," Ostrow said. "From the food, to the atmosphere to wonderful staff and management team we have assembled, we couldn't be more proud and excited to share this product with our neighbors."

Star Cinema Grill is slated for expansion. Late last year it was announced that the luxury movie company bought out the Vintage Park location of Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse, near the intersection of Texas 249 and Louetta Road.

The Star Cinema Grill spokesperson said on the chain's website that more Houston-area locations are forthcoming.

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