AMC acquires and plans to renovate theater on Allen Road, are other Emagines next?

[mtburb]

I've never stepped foot in this Emagine theater myself, mainly as there is an MJR facility much closer to my house, but since they posted a Street View of sorts of their interior on Google Maps, it looked kinda nice with those props and even that mural on the north lobby wall. I personally have photographed it from Allen Road back in 2015 as well.

Apparently, I was completely unaware, until now, when I found this article, that it just closed on Sunday:
http://www.thenewsherald.com/news/am...fe131c6fa.html

It appears that the AMC chain just bought that theater and plans to reopen it this Friday with signage changes and plans on doing a full renovation this summer.

And since this was the only article I could find on AMC acquiring ANY Emagine facility, could this mean eventually AMC will acquire other Emagine locations?

If so, this could continue the long trend of AMC merging local area movie theater chains into their national reach. It's happened to Nicholas George Theaters and Suburban Detroit Theaters, it's happened to Star Theaters and already it's starting to happen to Emagine.

Emagine itself had been doing pretty well over the last few years by expanding it's footprint in the region and according to searches even expanding into the Chicago market. Perhaps this was the impetus for AMC to acquire one of their facilities?

[jackie5275]

Perhaps, but is this to compete more with the new Cinemark theater at Southland Mall?

[mtburb]

Perhaps, but is this to compete more with the new Cinemark theater at Southland Mall?

That may be one reason, but they also have to compete with the bar that the MJR Southgate added a couple years back, plus, that theater is nearing completion of a renovation into reclining seats.

But yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if AMC suddenly acquired the other Emagine locations too. I would safely assume that once they acquire them they will completely strip those locations of the Emagine brand, like what they've started doing just recently with the former Star facilities [[they already completely got rid of the Star name at the Madison Heights facility, it appears according to the newspaper movie listings the Fairlane location is now branded as this "AMC Classic", even all official literature and information referring to the Great Lakes Crossing theater refer to it solely as an AMC location though the last time I went up there they still had Star signs).

[Scottathew]

The Rochester Hills city council approved an addition to the Emagine Theatre in Rochester Hills. The addition will add two new theatres and a large party room.

[JBMcB]

If so, this could continue the long trend of AMC merging local area movie theater chains into their national reach.

Jeeze I hope not. Last time I went to an AMC theater was over a decade ago and it was awful. The movie started out of focus and they forgot to dim the lights. Took twenty minutes to get someone to fix both problems. As little as we go see movies, I'll pay a bit more and go to Emagine. I've never had a problem there.

For decent competition, here's hoping they open an Alamo Draughthouse nearby. They opened one up in Kalamazoo, so that's promising.

[brizee]

This is not a good thing.I

I've never been to an Emagine.

But AMC absolutely ruined Star Theatres.

The quality and convenience of the refreshment took a hit.

So did the cleanliness.

The ushers at STAR used to clean the aisles almost as soon as the credits started rolling. Now it looks like the place doesn't even get cleaned half the time.

There were little bowls of candy posted by the exits of the auditorium.

Big tasty tortilla chips and hot cheese machines were replaced by packaged Tostitos and a pack of warm cheeselike goo.

They've also replaced the soda fountain with a giant "vending machine" where yo pick from a bunch of different Pepsi Brands.

Basically quality was sacrificed on a slab for quick customer processing low labor costs and cheap products.

The only half decent STAR left is Sterling Heights. Give me MJR any day.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

"AMC Classic" is the brand they are putting on their newly acquired, less-than-stellar properties. They want the regular AMC to indicate top notch and modern. They also acquired Carmike Cinemas last year, and the had a lot of smaller, older facilities. Rather than pay to replace/renovate them, they chose to rebrand into something other than "AMC", thus the "Classic" label.

[mtburb]

"AMC Classic" is the brand they are putting on their newly acquired, less-than-stellar properties. They want the regular AMC to indicate top notch and modern.

It seems somewhat strange that they are wanting to place this name on the former Star Fairlane 21, as it looks a lot more like a glitzy major attraction at Disney World inside and out like it's sisters in Southfield and at Great Lakes Crossing, all of which happened to open in a four-year span in the late 90's-year 2000.

If you search the Freep archives on newspapers.com back when the Southfield location opened they did multiple huge writeups on it and even posted maps of it's interior layout twice. The text [[and small-sized images) is freely available [[under newspapers.com/newspage) and can easily be found by using Google, but if you want to enlarge the images a subscription is required.

[gencinjay]

But AMC absolutely ruined Star Theatres.

They've also replaced the soda fountain with a giant "vending machine" where yo pick from a bunch of different Pepsi Brands.

Basically quality was sacrificed on a slab for quick customer processing low labor costs and cheap products.

The vending machines are actually Coke. There is a ton of variety in them so I actually like them. I wish Pepsi would do something similar.

Star was on a downhill slide long before AMC purchased them. They used to be great places to go, but after Star Southfield was running a few years it was showing how they stopped emphasizing what set them apart.

AMC certainly hasn't done anything to improve things though. Their answer to revenues is cut payroll and raise prices. Their popcorn is horrible too. I miss the General Cinema corn.

[gencinjay]

The classic moniker is more about describing what type of theater it is than denoting a less desirable location. Although there is a relationship there. Classic refers to the more traditional theater layout. They also have the Madison Height variety with larger lazy boy numbered seating, but I forget what they call this model. They also have the Dine In model that hasn't made it to Michigan yet.

[mtburb]

The vending machines are actually Coke. There is a ton of variety in them so I actually like them. I wish Pepsi would do something similar.

Pepsi has started doing those kinds of vending machines too, in fact, the MJR close to my house is getting one during it's ongoing renovation.

[mtburb]

Reviving this thread three years later with unfortunate news. The AMC Woodhaven, the subject of this thread, has closed for good [[and thus it won't be able to enjoy reopening on October 9 like the other theaters).

Maybe Emagine might buy the location back?

[softailrider]

Who wants to sit in a movie theater for 3 hours wearing a mask? Better be something I really want to see.

[p1acebo]

Who wants to sit in a movie theater for 3 hours wearing a mask? Better be something I really want to see.

Is it honestly that big of a deal though? Are people that butt hurt where they can't wear a cloth mask for a few hours? It is pretty easy to get use to, I really think people who object are being big babies.

[JBMcB]

Is it honestly that big of a deal though? Are people that butt hurt where they can't wear a cloth mask for a few hours? It is pretty easy to get use to, I really think people who object are being big babies.

For some people it is uncomfortable. It might not be uncomfortable for you. That doesn't mean other people are wrong.

I have enough people in my immediate family who are high risk that, mask or no, it's not worth the risk to sit in a theater full of people for a few hours, anyway.

[Scottathew]

Who wants to sit in a movie theater for 3 hours wearing a mask? Better be something I really want to see.

For me it's not even COVID. I've been priced out of the theaters for a long time. Online rentals are where it's at. For the price of one movie ticket my family of four can watch a movie, pause for potty breaks, and eat popcorn that cost less than a dollar.

I highly doubt Emagine will want to even think of taking the building back. Theaters are contracting right now. We'll see the profitable locations stay open and the less profitable ones close.

Here information from 2019 describing the amount of theaters in the US over the past 25 years: https://www.statista.com/statistics/...es-since-1995/

Theaters will still be around into the future, but their focus will be around the high-end experience, like the Emagine chain.

[Lowell]

Ever-larger, ever-better resolution home TV's combined with streaming are dooming the big screen venues--particularly with the pandemic fears.

Nothing beats the big screen with dolby surround experience and movie popcorn in a wide-body reclining seat with unobstructed view. I love it and hope they survive. But in the middle of the winter, in the middle of a pandemic, or even just flu season, when one visit can cost more than a combined HBO and Neflix monthly bill? Tough competition.

[Danny]

AMC just closed their Southfield Location in which it used to be Star Theaters. What a waste!

[softailrider]

AMC just closed their Southfield Location in which it used to be Star Theaters. What a waste!

It’s been closed for months. Closed before the shit hit the fan with the Coronavirus.

[Meddle]

I haven't been to a theater of any kind since the late 80s and I haven't watched a full length movie on TV or video, streaming or otherwise in close to 15 years.

I'm not even sure we still have open theaters out here in the boonies.

[Kathleen]

Given the types of movies that I go to see in an actual movie theatre, I don't usually see that many patrons in the screening venue. So I am looking forward to theatres reopening here in Michigan. Not that I go that often [[couple times a month at most), but I do enjoy seeing classic films at the Redford Theatre [[who are working towards reopening), the Detroit Film Theatre, Cinema Detroit, and some of the Fathom Events and Flashback Cinema offerings at area theatres. Occasionally a new release is a must-see film in a movie theatre.

[mtburb]

It's officially official:

https://www.thenewsherald.com/news/w...04109c5b9.html

[Danny]

It's officially official:

https://www.thenewsherald.com/news/w...04109c5b9.html

What a waste of good space. That's corporations. Only care about profits not the community.

[Zacha341]

Yeah it was pit towards the end pre. C-19. Dirty, rowdy crowds, etc.

It’s been closed for months. Closed before the shit hit the fan with the Coronavirus.

[mtburb]

Everything comes full circle as Emagine has just announced that they will be buying the Woodhaven location back from AMC, just as I had predicted months ago. It will reopen as an Emagine in the next couple months.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/..._content=wdiv4