By Andrea StevensAFRO Employees Writerastevens@afro.com
The newly opened Pikes Studio Cinema is drawing crowds and pleasure with its mix of contemporary facilities, neighborhood focus and cinematic attraction.
The theater lately opened in Woodholme Purchasing Heart, making the return of big-screen leisure to the realm. Situated simply off Reisterstown Street, the area presents a recent tackle moviegoing with state-of-the-art projection and sound methods, luxurious seating and a menu that features connoisseur snacks and domestically sourced refreshments.
“Pikesville is a really built-in neighborhood. That is acquainted floor for me. I dwell a mile and a half from right here, and I really stroll to the theater,” stated Michael Eugene Johnson, the theater proprietor. “The neighborhood has been welcoming and supportive, and we plan to be right here slightly longer.”
The theater options two cinemas with 245-seat auditoriums, leather-based reclining chairs, massive screens and digital encompass sound. Additionally they permit unbiased distributors to arrange within the foyer to promote their merchandise as an indication of help and alternative to different small enterprise house owners.
The Pikes Theater just isn’t Johnson’s first enterprise into the theater business. He has owned a number of prior to now.
“I owned three theaters in Baltimore—on Taylor Avenue, twenty fifth Avenue and North Avenue—about 25 years in the past. I left the enterprise in 2004, went into metropolis authorities and company America,” he stated. “When this chance got here up, I initially stated no, however ultimately determined to return again and provides it a strive.”
To maintain issues attention-grabbing, they deal with themed weeks to attract of their patrons. Moviegoers can submit requests for what they want to see via the theater’s web site.
“For Juneteenth and Black Music Month, we’re screening movies like ‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Porgy and Bess,’ and ‘Wonderful Grace’,” stated Johnson. “By doing theme-driven weeks, we’re in a position to change our motion pictures and provides folks a heads-up on what’s coming. This method helps us supply selection and interact completely different audiences.”
To additional supply neighborhood engagement and unity, Johnson companions with surrounding eating places and permits clients that dine with them to deliver their meals into the theater.
“We’ve restaurant partnerships. Prospects can herald meals from accredited locations, and we get a small income share,” he stated. “We additionally supply leases for kids’s birthday events, the place friends can decide their very own film. It’s develop into one in every of our most profitable providers.”
To increase on these efforts, the theater additionally offers weekly free screenings and is creating new cultural applications aimed toward making movie extra accessible and fascinating for the area people.
“Each Wednesday we present a free film,” stated Johnson. “We get a lot of senior residents and other people from the neighborhood. It’s an escape for them. We’re additionally engaged on launching our personal movie competition in September.”
