Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Is it GKC or Kerasotes?

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Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-19-2004, 09:29 PM:

Can someone give me the background on the split of the Kerasotes household, whereupon there came two theatre chains, Kerasotes and GKC? I have found you best not confuse the two because people at either one get upset if you do (maybe not "upset" but slightly irritated, anyway). Is there bad blood there? GKC, I believe, stands for George Kerasotes...so what is the reel deal behind the scenes?

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 12-19-2004, 09:47 PM:

As a GKC employee, rumors have been flung around me about the split every since I started working for them. I've heard two things: George Kerasotes was going to hand over the GKC company to one of his adopted sons (or maybe it was one of his brothers) but then had a big falling out with him so the son/brother said 'Screw you' and started his own theater chain: Kerasotes
2)George found out his son was gay who he was going to pass the theater chain too, but got angry at his homosexuality so the son said 'Screw you' and started Kerasotes. I'm doubting this one is true.

I do believe, however, that it was George and one of his brothers that he had the falling out with which spawned Kerasotes. One of these days I'll get to the bottom of the story. I can't count how many times people have tried to hand me Kerasotes gift certificates thinking it was GKC (and I'm sure vice-versa on Kerasotes part)

Though rumor has it that there may be a BIG change in GKC world coming soon (thought I can't publicly discuss it right now [Frown]

)

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 12-19-2004, 10:42 PM:

There was Kerasotes before GKC. And it was a split, not a new startup as I know theatres that were Keresotes that were later GKC. Found this online:

quote: Out on the web

GKC Theatres, the 15th-largest theater chain in the country with 29 theaters (268 screens) in 24 cities. ... GKC -- the "GK" stands for company founder George Kerasotes -- is completely separate from the bigger Springfield-based Kerasotes Theatres...

Kerasotes Theatres was founded in 1909 by Greek immigrant Gus Kerasotes. It's now the ninth-largest chain in America, with 76 theaters (562 screens) in 54 cities. George Kerasotes, one of Gus' sons, split from the family company and founded GKC in 1985. He died in 2001; daughter Beth Kerasotes serves as GKC's president.

Is it odd that you can have only 29 theatres and already be the 15th largest chain? That sort of implies that there aren't many in-between sized chains. It must drop down very quickly after the large chains.

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 12-20-2004, 12:42 AM:

Steve,

Do they base what rank a theatre chain has buy the number of screens or by the number of actual theatres a company has?

I'm guessing Lowes is the biggest in the nation?

Posted by Mark Huff (Member # 480) on 12-20-2004, 01:47 AM:

As a former Kerasotes manager, here is the story. Gus started the Kerasotes theatre chain. George, Gus's son and his brother had a falling out. They decided to split the company in half. Thats how GKC started. Beth is Georges daughter and runs GKC. Dean and Tony Kerasotes run Kerasotes Theatres.

Theatres chains are ranked by screen count. Regal Entertainment Group is #1. AMC Theatres is #2. Cinemark #3. Loews is #4.

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-20-2004, 10:42 PM:

Thanks for the info...like Steve said, some theatres were Kerasotes and became GKC so sometimes, I still confuse the two at certain locations. And yes, Allison, even I have brought the wrong tickets to the other's theatre! Oops!