One reason retail real estate has rebounded is an improved moviegoing experience. Comfier seating, a wider range of dining and drinking options, and special events have turned movie theaters into full entertainment experiences. Here are six Chicago theaters that do this right.
1. Arclight Chicago
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Location: 1500 N Clybourn
Screens: 14
Amenities: An expanded menu of small bites and shared plates; beer, wine and cocktails; reserved seating; full-wall screens.
Arclight was a pioneer in the enhanced movie experience and the company's first location in the city is intended to make going to the movies hassle-free and upscale. If you don't buy tickets online, you can purchase them from attendants toting tablets. No ads are played on screen and trailers are limited to three before each screening. In a nod to theaters and symphonies, if you miss your seating time, you have to wait until the next screening.
2. AMC Dine-In Theatres at Block 37
Location: Block 37, 108 N State
Screens: 11
Amenities: Full-service bar; recliner seating; in-theater dining; reserved seating; mobile ticketing.
JLL helped AMC roll out its new upscale moviegoing experience. We saw Deadpool at Block 37 a couple of weekends go and the recliner seating alone was worth the ticket price. Knowing anything we wanted to eat or drink was available with the push of a button was a bonus.
3. Landmark Century Cinemas
Location: The Century, 2828 N Clark St
Screens: 7
Amenities: Full-service bar with an expanded food and drink menu; plush and recliner seating.
Landmark Century was the foundation for the successful repositioning of the former Century mall. With a mix of popular releases, indie and art-house films, Landmark Century is a welcome competitor to the nearby Music Box for the serious film buff's dollar and the multiplex pays tribute to the building's vaudeville and silent film past.
4. Logan Theatre
Location: 2646 N Milwaukee Ave
Screens: 3
Amenities: The full-service bar and lounge is open late.
The Logan was sputtering along as a second-run theater for years before a major facelift four years ago transformed it into a centerpiece for the development boom happening in the neighborhood. Owners worked overtime to restore the Logan's Art Deco designs.
5. Music Box Theatre
Location: 3733 N Southport
Screens: 2
Amenities: A brand-new bar and lounge for patrons to relax before and after their screenings. Operators recently installed a new screen and sound system for screening 70mm films.
If it weren't for the success of the Music Box, the Southport corridor would not be what it is today. For over 30 years, the Music Box has attracted audiences with ambitious programming featuring independent and art-house films, campy midnight and matinee screenings, and special events. The theater's new lounge is a nod to keep up with the changing times.
6. Kerasotes Showplace ICON
Location: The Roosevelt Collection, 1101 S Delano Ct
Screens: 16
Amenities: An adults-only section; reserved ticketing and seating; recliner seating; full-service bar with food; in-theater dining in the recliner seating rooms.
The success of Showplace ICON was one reason McCaffrey was able to weather the recession; it eventually sold the Roosevelt Collection to Prudential for $222M last August. Retail at Roosevelt Collection is one reason the South Loop is one of Chicago's hottest markets.
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