By Andrea StevensAFRO Workers Writerastevens@afro.com
The newly opened Pikes Studio Cinema is drawing crowds and pleasure with its mix of recent facilities, group focus and cinematic allure.
The theater just lately opened in Woodholme Purchasing Middle, making the return of big-screen leisure to the realm. Positioned simply off Reisterstown Street, the area affords a contemporary tackle moviegoing with state-of-the-art projection and sound methods, luxurious seating and a menu that features connoisseur snacks and regionally sourced refreshments.
“Pikesville is a really built-in group. That is acquainted floor for me. I stay a mile and a half from right here, and I really stroll to the theater,” mentioned Michael Eugene Johnson, the theater proprietor. “The group has been welcoming and supportive, and we plan to be right here somewhat longer.”
The theater options two cinemas with 245-seat auditoriums, leather-based reclining chairs, huge 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 homeowners.
The Pikes Theater 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 mentioned. “When this chance got here up, I initially mentioned no, however ultimately determined to return again and provides it a strive.”
To maintain issues attention-grabbing, they concentrate on themed weeks to attract of their patrons. Moviegoers can submit requests for what they want to see by the theater’s web site.
“For Juneteenth and Black Music Month, we’re screening movies like ‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Porgy and Bess,’ and ‘Wonderful Grace’,” mentioned Johnson. “By doing theme-driven weeks, we’re capable of change our motion pictures and provides individuals a heads-up on what’s coming. This strategy helps us supply selection and have interaction completely different audiences.”
To additional supply group 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 got restaurant partnerships. Prospects can usher in meals from permitted locations, and we get a small income share,” he mentioned. “We additionally supply leases for kids’s birthday events, the place company can decide their very own film. It’s develop into one in all our most profitable providers.”
To increase on these efforts, the theater additionally offers weekly free screenings and is growing new cultural applications aimed toward making movie extra accessible and interesting for the area people.
“Each Wednesday we present a free film,” mentioned Johnson. “We get numerous 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.”
