Some news of interest from Nancy Sarnoff’s new blog.
The two Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in the Houston area are being sold to an investment team that plans to open at least seven more in Texas.
Triple Tap Ventures LLC will convert the company-owned locations at West Oaks Mall and on Mason Road in Katy to franchises.
The Austin-based theater/dining concept shows first-run and independent films while a wait staff serves hot meals, beer and wine to your movie seat.
The new franchisees wouldn’t say where in Houston they plan to build new stores, but there’s been talk over the years about this type of operation opening near downtown Houston.
“There is a lot of potential to grow Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas throughout Houston and we are currently evaluating a number of sites throughout the metropolitan area. We plan to develop the concept rapidly throughout the area and all of our expansion territories,” Neil Billingsley-Michaelsen, president of Triple Tap Ventures, said in an e-mail.
As she notes, I passed along a suggestion to them from ‘stina that I think would rock: Let the Alabama Theater become a theater again. I have no idea how viable this idea is, but I sure do hope they at least consider it.
Apparently they have passed on the Alabama Theatre, it doesn’t have the capacity they want or the kitchen facilities they’d need (not without expensive enhancements). Here is hoping they can find something awesome for that space. Also wouldn’t Houston Pavilions be perfect for a drafthouse? Just have to makesure they don’t show the same stuff as the Angelika, I’d hate to lose them.