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Muvico founder to offer movies – and much more
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
January 22, 2007 at 4:45 am
Out to compete with the growing number of luxury brands, Hamid Hashemi, former Muvico founder is taking the standard one step further with a new one-stop entertainment destination in his new venture, IPic Entertainment.
IPic Entertainment aims to attract young professionals with a concept that combines a luxury movie theater, with a sit-down restaurant, high-end bowling alley, full-service bar and live entertainment. The first location will open this summer in a Milwaukee suburb, with longer-term plans in the works for South Florida.
“People still want to go out, but they want to know they’re getting value and entertainment for their dollar,‘” said Hashemi, founder and chief executive of the Fort Lauderdale-based IPic. “When you go to this facility it’s not going to be just to see a movie, it’s going to be to spend the night. It’s a total entertainment destination. The theater is a small part of it.”
To read more, go to the Miami Herald.
CORRECTION 1/23: Please note that this project is not affiliated with Muvico. Our apologies for not highlighting that originally.
Comments (13)
Good idea to broaden the offerings and become a true entertainment destination. However, it sounds like IPic might be targeting too narrow a market. Additionally, the smaller auditoriums lead me to wonder if the end product will be all that appealing; i.e. there will be more options, but they will be scaled down to the point where none are competitive with full scale counterparts.
This is actually a very old concept. Some theatres built in the first few decades of the 20th century also had bowling alleys. And of course, a show containing both movies and live entertainment on stage was once quite standard.
I would consider my self a young professinal. All I’m looking for in a movie theater is that it be relaxed. Perferably with sleekly lit auditoriums and lobbies with lounge/chill out music playing during the intermission in the auditoriums and not have any ads or preshow network and the theater is oporated to be just as much as a lounge as it is a movie theater.
I’m part of a chain that likes lots of noise and anoying stuff everywhere and I’m very insterested to see when people will realize and just get fed up. I like Muvico’s idea, but I think there taking it a few steps too far. People don’t want a curcis, which is what
the AMC river east in chicago is(and is similar to muvico’s idea. A modern 21 screen complex with a complete bar lounge, resturaunt and boowling ally, only its so crowded and dissorgninised on the weekends its way more stressful then it should be.
Not sure if it would work but I truly wish a theater chain would start to attract and focus the smaller nighborhood crowds that don’t want to go to a huge massive complex and are just looking to relax and not be bombarded with tons of people, noise, distractions (and ads) and have a drink.
In past years I’ve been to a Muvico theatre in south FL (City Place) and was not impressed.
I don’t get how tiny 60-100 seat auditoriums are supposed to lure people away from home theatres. The screens in those auditoriums are going to be how big? 10 feet wide? 20 feet? I’ll stay home, thank you.
When I and other kids in the neighborhood went to the movies the screens were always huge. Then along came the multiplexes and the screens became smaller. Someone please enlighten me as to why we seem to take a step backwards? Why on earth would they put smaller auditoriums and smaller screens in a place like that?
The AMC in Rockaway has stuff besides movies; a food stand, as well as a party room and a very small arcade room. Plus you got the mall, too!!!
A Projectionist,
Sounds like you and I are looking for the same thing. But I think I’ve found what you’re looking for. Check this out:
www.cinetopiatheaters.com
I haven’t been there yet (I live about four hours away) but it looks intriguing. It’s located in Vancouver, WA, just across the river from Portland.
Justin, I don’t know about you, but I don’t go to the maul to have fun. Of course, people may actually enjoy going into a maul with no windows to the outside, poor ventilation and info overload.
I think Justin is into the new era of movie going and needs to see one of the classic old movie houses to perhaps broaden his view, imo.
Justin is just showing his age and youthful enjoyment of what he believes to be a cool place to hang. I’m sure we all felt that way about a particular venue or destination point at his age.
Muvico sounds like it is on to something but why does it concentrate mostly in the Florida markets? They have most of their theaters there. We could use something like that in the DC area. Their Egyptian 24 plex here is quite good and is large enough to be refurbished to turn it into this new entertainment model.
As far as the smaller auditoriums, you can still experience something special provided all the elements come together. Anyone remember Showcan? They touted a curved screen, 70mm/multi track stereo experience run at 60fps in an intimate environment of say less than a 100 patrons. The audio visual experience was something to behold with its bright picture and multichannel sound, much better than anything 2K digital for sure! I vividly remember one short film they had that was 3D like where they had this woman in front of some kind of netting that made it look she was actually in the room with you breathing against the net. Other shorts had elements that reminded me of Doug Trumbull’s “Brainstorm” movie showing the same (POV) shot of a semi driving off the road and taking on flight.
The venue they had in Virginia was more family oriented, with video and carnival-type games as the theater, itself, was in a large pizza parlor. Unfortunately, they never developed much content or attractions beyond that and have now gone out of business (Showscan).
General Cinemas used to do the Bowling/Theatre thing too.
Hamid Hashemi is a shyster immigrant who steps on anyone and anything to get his $$$. Here’s to his failures!