Vacant movie theater in Aurora to reopen as Atlas Cinemas
A regional movie theater chain has purchased a former Aurora theater that closed almost four years ago.
Atlas Cinemas plans to take over the former Cinemark movie theater at 140 Barrington Town Square in the Barrington Plaza. The former Cinemark theater, which opened in 2003, closed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and never reopened.
Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin said Atlas, which is the area's largest independently owned and operated movie theater chain, has already taken out building permits for its planned renovation, and hopes to reopen the theater in the spring. The city has been working with Guggenheim, which owns the plaza, to find a new owner since Cinemark abruptly shuttered the location during the height of the pandemic.
Atlas Cinemas has five other theaters in the region, all in the Cleveland area. Two are in Mentor, and single operations are in Euclid, Mayfield Heights and Shaker Heights.
"I think having a theater reopen in the plaza will certainly help businesses in the entire city, not just the plaza," she said. "I think it will certainly make a big difference in that area."
She expressed hope that another vacant storefront in the plaza, which used to house a Starbucks, also will get a new tenant.
Gabriel Saluan, vice president of Atlas Cinemas, said plans call for installation of high back, rocker glider seats in each of the 10 auditoriums, and the concession area will be renovated and include alcohol and food options. Atlas Cinemas Barrington will offer the latest films, as well as Bollywood films, art house selections, concerts, operas and Fathom Events.
"The renovated theaters will feature wall-to-wall screens in all 10 auditoriums as well as immersive eye-popping digital presentation and powerful surround sound which will give customers the ultimate audio-visual experience," Saluan stated in a news release. "In addition, RealD 3D, an immersive 3D experience powered by sophisticated, cutting-edge screen and visual technology, will be available in select auditoriums."
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Vacant movie theater in Aurora to reopen as Atlas Cinemas
