Fox Berkshire sold to national chain

Mark Nemirow, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·2 min read

Jul. 11—The Fox Berkshire theater in Wyomissing is being sold to AMC Theatres and will reopen under the new ownership effective Friday, according to an announcement by AMC Tuesday afternoon. The sale price was not disclosed.

The eight-screen theater at 800 Berkshire Blvd. will become known as AMC DINE-IN Berkshire 8 and will serve a menu of appetizers, entrees, and desserts as well as traditional movie theatre concessions.

"AMC has made it a priority to strengthen our circuit by identifying and acquiring popular, well-performing theatres around the country," AMC Executive Vice President Dan Ellis said in the company's announcement. "That strategic approach led us to the Fox Berkshire theatre. We're excited to add AMC DINE-IN Berkshire 8 to our complement of AMC DINE-IN locations, and we look forward to guests enjoying the AMC experience."

AMC's statement quoted Fox Theatres owner Don Fox as saying: "We are thrilled to sell our remaining hometown theater, Fox Berkshire, to AMC, an industry leader in providing outstanding movie experiences. We've had 65 years of bringing movies to Berks County and are very grateful for the loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our employees."

Berks County-based Fox built the Fox Berkshire in 1993, then sold it to Carmike Cinemas before buying it back in 2013. In 2017, the theater added Fox Kitchen & Bar at Fox Berkshire, which allowed patrons to watch a movie while enjoying a full dinner and a beer, wine or cocktail.

The other local theater Fox most recently owned was the Fox East in Exeter Township, which closed in 2019. The Fox family has been screening movies in Berks County since Don Fox's father, Dick, began running a drive-in theater in Sinking Spring in 1957 and expanding the Fox Theatres business in the decades that followed.

AMC, based in Leaward, Kan., also operates a 10-screen theater at the former Fairgrounds Square Mall site in Muhlenberg Township.