DALLAS — All five Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations in North Texas have closed as the local franchise partner that operates the theaters filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the Texas-based theater chain announced Thursday.
The closed North Texas locations are in Las Colinas, Richardson, Lake Highlands, Dallas, and Denton. A location in Woodbury, Minnesota, also operated by the franchise partner has additionally closed, according to a press release.
“We are deeply saddened to find it necessary to take this step. We are grateful to all our employees who put in the work, day in and day out to produce a special movie-going experience and to our many loyal customers for whom it was a pleasure to provide such a special experience,” the franchisee that operated the DFW locations said in a press release.
They said “an effort was made to contact all 600-plus employees” before the closure of the theaters.
"We are very disappointed to learn today that our franchisees, which operates five locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, and one in Woodbury, MN, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is closing their business effective immediately," an Alamo Drafthouse spokesperson said.
Alamo Drafthouse’s franchise partner, Two Is One, One is None, and its affiliates attributed the closure of its locations after 13 years to guest counts that haven’t rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic impacts.
“Industry-wide guest counts have not rebounded even to pre-COVID levels and coupled with the 100-plus days of the Writers’ and Actors’ strikes, industry-wide economic performance was severely down in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024,” they said in a press release. “In fact, the first quarter of 2024 has been the worst performing quarter in movie-going history.”
Turns out, these movie theater closures aren't the only ones in the area, either: The Angelika Film Center's Plano location announced on Thursday that it too is being shuttered after 20 years in business.
The theater chain, known for its restaurant-in-theater experience as well as themed parties and menu items, has Texas locations in Austin, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Antonio, according to its website.
There may be hope for an Alamo Drafthouse return to DFW, though.
"We are working as quickly as possible to get Alamo Drafthouse Cinema back up and running in these cities. All other Alamo Drafthouse locations are operating as normal, with continued expansion plans across the country," an Alamo Drafthouse spokesperson said.
The Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse's parent company initially filed for bankruptcy in 2021 after it was unable to renegotiate $105 million in debt. Fortress Investment Group and Altamont Capital partnered with Alamo founder Tim League to buy the assets out of bankruptcy.
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