REDMOND — At a new theater in this affluent suburb, moviegoers can select from different types of wines, crab cakes and heartier fare as if in an upscale restaurant.
And yes, there’s a movie screen too. In fact, seven screening rooms with no more than about 40 seats in each. Luxurious, large plush seats that recline.
An Australian company is banking on the appetite of a well-to-do clientele as it opens its second luxury movie theater in the United States at a mall here. Another movie house opened recently in a wealthy suburb of Chicago.
Village Roadshow’s new Gold Class Cinema will command as much as $32 per weekend ticket — plus a $3 booking fee if purchased online.
That’s before the food or beverage. The crab cakes run $17, for instance, while a New York strip steak sandwich is $19. A moviegoer could pay $30 for a bottle of wine — or as much as $695 for a very upscale bottle.
There’s a bar and lounge area, too.
Rob Goldberg, chief operating officer of Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas, said he’s not deterred by the prospect of opening a high-priced theater in the current economic climate.
“Now more than ever, people need to escape,” Goldberg said. “We target people who appreciate extra service,” he said, adding that the company is aiming at the 30- to 55-year-old age group.
A typical evening movie ticket in the Seattle area generally costs between $9 and $10.50.
Elsewhere in the area, The Big Picture is a pair of boutique cinemas in Seattle and Redmond, offering first-run films in small, elegant screening rooms with a full bar and waiter service. However, the Big Picture is only open to the public when it is not booked for private screenings.
Central Cinema on Seattle’s Capitol Hill offers beer, wine and a menu including pizza, salads and sandwiches, but features art-house films.
Village Roadshow hopes to open 10 more of the upscale theaters across the United States within the next year.
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