I got an invite from a marketing company to attend an open house of the new Alamo Drafthouse.
I wondered, why me? But then I figured it was likely because I have written a lot about St. Louis movie theaters, past and present. I have several theater posts I’ve linked to at the end of this story if you are interested in St. Louis cinemas past and present.
I’m a huge fan of going to the movies and we still have three great options in St. Louis: Hi-Pointe, Chase Park Plaza Cinemas and the MX Theaters.
I believe art can be transcendent and some movies get to that level of art and entertainment. Those special films mean a lot to me. And, a good vibe in a theater can help enhance and cement those memories and experiences.
Nothing will replace the vibe of the Hi-Pointe for me personally, but I go to the Chase and MX as well.
So, I was thrilled to learn that Alamo Drafthouse is opening its first St. Louis theater at the Foundry in the Midtown Neighborhood. I’ve never been to one of these theaters, of which there are 41 locations across the U.S. My only point of reference for Alamo, is the nod to the original Austin, Texas location in Quintin Tarantino’s “Death Proof”.
I think Alamo will provide a unique experience for St. Louis movie goers, one that I believe will be successful and different enough from the other cinemas we’ve enjoyed for years.
Before I provide photos and details on the offerings, I’ll share some thoughts on why this theater just might work and what to watch out for when I compare it to the other theaters in St. Louis I’ve experienced that eventually went under.
First, it is in a cool setting that is not your average suburban megaplex surrounded by a sea of surface parking and no soul for miles. Alamo is located in the heart of the city near the recently renovated Foundry, just across Forest Park Avenue from St. Louis University’s main campus. This will provide heavier foot traffic than most spots in St. Louis. Just look at the foot traffic around Fresh Thyme Market, it is one of the most “walked to” places around.
But make no mistake, the overwhelming majority of movie goers will drive to Alamo and free parking will certainly benefit this theater and the Foundry in general. There is both surface and structured parking, all free of parking fees. This was part of why Union Station Cine’ didn’t last, you had to pay for parking and street parking was extremely limited. MX is a bit tough as well if you are arriving with a car. The Chase is easy to find on street parking, but you still have to pay in the end. Hi-Pointe has free parking that smells like delicious grilled beef from the nearby burger joint right on the western edge of St. Louis.
The advantage over the Moolah, which recently closed, is the quality and care put into the tech, theater designs and comfortable seating. The couches at Moolah were a bit awkward and dated as time passed. But I recognize the Moolah’s architecture was superior and the little bar staffed with cool people showing weird movies and playing tasty music was unmatched.
Alamo is extremely well thought out. It is impeccably sound proofed, designed and planned out. The sound quality is quite impressive.
The age restriction of 18 and up will make it a more “adult” experience. They have an avowed low tolerance for cell phone usage and excessive talking during showings. If you are being disruptive, there is one warning and then you get kicked out.
My memories of MX and Union Station Cine’ experiences got my spidey senses tingling a bit, and I shared my personal feedback with the Alamo staff that kicking people out who like to interact with the movie might be misguided here in the STL. I’m thinking back to my Union Station experiences where Black people participate in the movie with commentary…sometime annoying, sometimes hilarious. It was like going to a boring Catholic mass (white theater crowd) vs. a Southern Baptist service (Black theater crowd): two totally different experiences, both represent the audience and the offerings. And if they program Black movies, and start kicking people out for talking, it could get around in a negative way. I hope not, but I did share my story about Union Station and that a zero talking policy might not be a good fit for some programming in a city like ours.
Anywho, we got a demonstration of the “Big Show” screen and sound system and a spiel from the Alamo folks with some interesting info shared.
The Big Show is the largest theater and most technologically advanced.
Here’s what I and learned:
Every speaker has a separate channel to optimize the sound. I must say, they were blasting it to showcase the technology, but it was amazing. I’d love to see a music documentary in this theater.
The “Big Show” will likely run super hero and blockbuster action movies on repeat. The money makers that I tend to shy away from, but people/Hollywood seems to love those easy money makers ad nauseum.
The sound and massive screen were something else.
The individual seat tables swivel, the chairs can be adjusted to kick up your feet or go into a full recline. They are super comfy and the buttons are easy to navigate.
Alamo will serve food and drinks.
There is a little pen and pad of paper and menu tucked under the table top. There is a button to ring a server to take your order, then it is delivered to your seat. You can also order food when you buy tickets in person or online.
The movie offerings will be a mix of old and new. Most will be first run stuff, but they will have viewings of older, off the beaten path films. Alamo prides themselves as pioneers in the library content space. They will also curate special nights showing older content. Think, Terror Tuesdays, Weird Wednesdays with oddball stuff and the like.
At other locations, they’ve hosted movie parties with props and costumes, think Die Hard where you get a cap gun and shoot it off in every shooting scene; or, Sunday afternoon tea events with British movies, like A Room With a View.
They will also do multi-course themed food nights, think Italian food while watching the Godfather.
The place is huge, with 933 total seats across ten theaters. The smallest room is 45 seats but there are others with, 70, 80 and 120 seats. The Big Show is the biggest, of course.
Screens in all the rooms are wall to wall. The front row is a row and a half back from the screen to enhance all views. Even the front row seat won’t give you a sore neck.
When you walk in, there is a ticketing/food ordering station and a place to chill before your friends show up.
There are nods to VHS and other 70s/80s movies/culture and slightly offbeat stuff that may appeal to the left of center movie fan. And for you Y-chromosome types, there are indeed urinals.
There is a lounge area, that will be set up with karaoke if you choose to partake. They’ll have a weekly trivia (TV and movie themed), board game nights, etc.
You can order food and drinks and hang out in the lounge area if you like, without getting tickets to a movie.
The Springfield, MO location is the second highest performer in all the Alamo markets. They were fascinated by the St. Louis scene and location at the Foundry. They like markets that are middle market cities looking for a different vibe with a community feel vs. the average suburban chain. They loved St. Louis.
They know they have their work cut out for them in cracking this market. There are places we are loyal to. They know that and want to deliver an experience that is different, welcoming and somewhere you can see a variety of movies in a civilized, high tech environment.
This is their 40th or 41st location (speaker couldn’t confirm the exact count). They are also planning new ones in Chicago, Boston and Birmingham, AL.
They have a large gluten free selection with a cauliflower crust on wood fired pizzas. The gluten free sandwich buns as well. They know toasted ravioli is an “us” thing, so they brought that to the menu.
Everything is made from scratch, no frozen pre-prepped stuff.
They plan to be staffed and prepped to serve up to 3,500 people in a single day. They hope they’ll be that busy.
They opened December 14th, so go check them out.
Additional St. Louis Cinema Reading:
Movie Theaters of St. Louis - August, 2015
Ghosts of St. Louis Movie Theaters Past - August, 2015
African American Theaters of St. Louis - October, 2015
Union Station 10 Cine/ (1988-2003) - May, 2016
A Historic Renovation Win for the Shaw Neighborhood - February, 2018
Buildings Matter - Preservation Cements Our Stories and Sense of Place - January, 2022
