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Author Topic: Feedback wanted on Wallace/Hollywood Theaters Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-10-2003 02:14 PM                     I've had some interest from Wallace Theaters in leasing one of my buildings for a new cinema. I've never heard of or worked with Wallace before. They're out of Washington state, and operate about 100 multiplexes under the Wallace and Hollywood names in various locations including Kansas, PA, Hawaii, Texas, etc. Anyone familiar with their operations? Feedback appreciated.  |  IP: Logged Don E. Nelson Expert Film Handler Posts: 138 From: Brentwood, CA, USA Registered: Nov 2001 posted 03-10-2003 02:31 PM                     Hi Jeff, Wallace is an ok sort of British fellow but watch out for Grommit,I've never seen anything like him, kind of a goofy guy that likes to eat dog food..  |  IP: Logged Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-10-2003 02:37 PM                     Uh, yea. Thanks, Don. As I said, does anybody have any experience with Wallace or Hollywood Theaters?  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-10-2003 02:39 PM                        Ask Bobby Henderson what he thinks of Wallace. Wallace Cache 8, Lawton OK  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-10-2003 05:25 PM                     Jeff, To put that sign picture in context (as well as provide a long opinionated answer), it is a photo I took this past weekend of the dilapidated Cache 8 Cinemas sign here in Lawton, OK. This sign has been a wreck for nearly 2 years. A few days ago the last couple face sections on the east elevation blew out in a windstorm. One of the sections struck a woman's car on Cache Road, causing paint and body damage. Wallace/Hollywood has run this theater in Lawton for few years now and have steadily let its condition deteriorate to a pathetic level few theaters can match. What's amazing about that is United Artists didn't do much to maintain the place either for the decade they ran it, but it was still in mediocre yet operable condition when they let Hollywood have the keys to the place. One of the reasons why the Cache 8 is allowed to operate in such horrible condition is an allocation agreement with distributors. The Carmike 8 just down the road is one of the best theaters in the state, but loses half the movies it could be getting to this horrible dump. With no need to compete, why pay for any improvements or even any maintenance? I do not know why Wallace/Hollywood continue to operate this 8-plex. I can only guess they are locked into a suffocating long term lease agreement and it would cost them less to keep the place running at a financial loss than pay penalties in backing out of the lease. Wallace/Hollywood has closed down and sold much better theaters in Oklahoma, such as the Penn Square Mall 10 theater in Oklahoma City. That one had a small, but decent THX screen with 70mm capability. Dickinson Theaters has converted that place to a semi-stadium seated complex, but the result is not nearly as good as the former General Cinemas build. From what others have told me, either in these forums or via private e-mail, Wallace isn't really big on the quality thing even with new builds. I was underwhelmed by the Hollywood Spotlight 14 in Norman, OK. Maintenance doesn't seem to be a big deal at all either --more of a once-in-a-while luxury rather than necessity. I think they are banking on the belief that most people don't care about things like sharp projection, good sound and attractive environment. Back here in Lawton, Loews and Home Depot are fixing to open new "superstores" nearly next door to each other and just down the street from the Cache 8 theater. Hopefully whoever is holding the lease on the theater might get an attractive offer from Best Buy or Circuit City. A lot of people in this area are also dying to get a Target store. Any of those things would be just fine as long as they get the Cache 8 demolished.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-10-2003 06:08 PM                        They are opening a 9-plex in Bozeman, MT this month. Here's a list of the features from their website: •9 Screens •Stadium Seating •DTS® Digital Sound •Student Prices •Daily Bargain Shows •Plenty Of Free Parking •Luxurious Seating •Friendly Service •Family Atmosphere •Stone Fireplace •Convenient Location Wow, a FIREPLACE. We don't have one of those! I've been foolishly spending money on projection and sound improvements.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-10-2003 06:38 PM                     Such fluff! Really now, what theater doesn't offer these features? •Student Prices •Daily Bargain Shows •Plenty Of Free Parking •Luxurious Seating •Friendly Service •Family Atmosphere •Convenient Location Other than the stove fireplace, dts and stadium seating, this place has nothing special going for it that you can't get anywhere else. Remember things like "friendly service" and "convenient location" are all opinion.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-10-2003 06:51 PM                     Brad wrote: quote: What theatre doesn't offer these features Try any of the Loew's, AMC, UA Theatres here in Manhattan. No Student Prices No Daily Bargain Shows (No Twi-light shows at AMC) The only Bargain is at Loew's State Theatre, it's $4.95. That theatre is a piece of .  |  IP: Logged Jonathan M. Crist Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 531 From: Hershey, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-10-2003 08:27 PM                     I thought the Lowe's State closed last fall around the end of September. It is my understanding that neither Philadelphia nor NYC have a discount venue left.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-10-2003 09:09 PM                     The Loew's State in Times Square is still open and has been open since last Sept. The theatre is in the basement of the Virgin MegaStore in Times Square. I live a few blocks away from the State Theatre and its been open. One of the funny things about the State is their electronic marquee in front of the Virgin Store. When it works it shows what was playing one or two months ago The other Loew's bargain house in Manhattan was the Worldwide Plex on 50th between 8th & 9th. now closed and gutted.  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-11-2003 01:28 AM                        There's a new-ish (5 yrs or less) pretty Hollywood nearby, which is incredibly inferior to the nearby Carmikes. Walls so acoustically transparent that it's a flashback to the old shoebox multi's, a staff that must be continually hunted down to turn the sound or focus the picture. Young, young, very young; doesn't look like a place where anyone works farther than a year or two into college.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-11-2003 08:52 AM                     Scott Wallace originally started with the ACT 3 Theatres chain here in the northwest then he split off and started his own company called Wallace Theatres. Wallace also operates theaters in Hawaii.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-11-2003 09:17 AM                     Be very careful....most large chains are know for trashing out buildings then not renewing the lease when it runs out. I've seen so much of this that its not funny....Unless you REALLY need to least the property I'd say look for another type of buisness to lease it to, or open your own mpx. What ever you do don't let Wallace put those Trousers on you! They will commadere your property and have complete control over your life! Typically local, or smaller independently owned chains that have obviously been sucessful are the better types to lease to. Its always been my experience that they take alot more pride in what they do and usually take very good care of the real estate. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-11-2003 09:30 AM                     Thanks all for the input. Mark, I should have mentioned that this is an empty 80,000 sf anchor building (former dept. store) in an enclosed mall shopping center which happens to have enough ceiling height for a stadium theater complex, and we don't have a lot of traditional retail "takers" lining up, although two other cinema operators have expressed interest. FWIW, we have two other malls where we have added first class stadium 'plexes with major circuit operators, and have had excellent results in terms of both rental income and a supporting/complementary use for the malls. That's not to say Wallace is any good, but the concept does work with an enclosed shopping mall.  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 03-11-2003 11:17 AM                        Jeff, I have commented many times about Wallace theatres in Hawaii but I guess you have not been reading my posts. I have found the way they operate their theatres as a big joke and a disgrace to theatre operation and exhibition. Beside the shabby upkeep of their theatres, they have violated the rules of "Film Done Right" so many times, that I no longer want to see anymore films in their theatres no matter what the show . Two classic examples are the lack of surrounds for films like "RELIC" and "MONEY TRAIN" after they advertised the films as SRD and SDDS presentations. When I conplained, the manager just sarcastically told me that's the way the sound was recorded and nothing can be done. The Dolby 5.1 laserdisc of "THE RELIC" and the DVD of "MONEY TRAIN", proved him wrong! The other example was the time the projectionist turned off the projector lamp when the credits was still running. There were many other times they made me unhappy with their presentations, I never went back. On the other hand, I cannot find any fault with Consolidated or Signature Theatres in the way they show films except for the time the projectionist at Consolidated (Pacific) did not turn on the house lights during the intermission of "GODS AND GENERALS". This is something one can expect at a Wallace theatre. Do you suppose the projectionist was a new employee who started to work for Consolidated after working for a Wallace theatre? -Claude  |  IP: Logged

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