RENOVATION REPORT: Carolina Cinemas reels in customers with upgrades

The Movies at Crownpoint 12 Theater on Monroe Road was in need of a revamp. The 30-year old building had last been updated in 1999, when workers decorated with textured purple wallpaper and a projectionist was in charge of splicing and storing film in a canister.

Those days are gone.  Last spring, proprietor Carolina Cinemas ordered a $2 million overhaul to the 27,000-square-foot building, a move that provides customers with luxury electronic recliners, a bar with 26 craft beers on tap and a full-service kitchen.

“The building had gotten older and in order to compete, the owner decided to create the best theater in town,” said Hope Branch, director of operations at the newly named Carolina Cinemas Charlotte.

Branch, who has worked on and off at the theater since 1991, says the top priority for a moviegoer is comfortable seating. To meet that demand, Hendrick Construction of Charlotte removed the theater’s 1,800 traditionally narrow, fabric-covered folding seats and replaced them with 800 more commodious, densely padded, soft grey vinyl recliners nearly 3 feet in width. Each one offers a table tray and cup rest. Four to five rows of similar-style loveseats, nearly 5 feet wide with matching ottomans, front the stadium-style rooms.

Hendrick had to extend the risers to accommodate the larger seats. In addition, Carolina Cinemas covered the wallpaper and concrete flooring with carpet for better sound and “a more living-room feel,” Branch says.  The sound system was upgraded and new masking placed around each screen. Entryways, which used to feature white Grecian fluted columns on each side of the doors, now are surrounded by recycled sheets of restained wood. Workers replaced the poster-sized backlit boxes that traditionally directed viewers to the correct auditorium with computerized monitors featuring the movie name and show time.

The lobby, recently painted in muted grays, welcomes guests with modern-style concrete drink rails and bar stools.  While nearly the entire lobby has fresh carpeting, the recently resealed concrete floor adjoining the concession area remains, providing a contemporary industrial feel.

The contempo sense continues on to the metal-faced kiosk, where customers can purchase the time-honored movie fare of popcorn, Milk Duds and Junior Mints, as well as a gustatory adventure. Snack seekers may opt for the lightly fried Brussel sprouts with garlic, red onion and apple cider gastrique, pita and hummus, or a cranberry and kale salad with crumbled goat cheese and roasted walnuts. Nova Bakery-dough pizzas topped with local ingredients and multigrain or baguette-style sandwiches are freshly made while customers wait. Add truffle fries for just $4 more. Snacks range from $5 to $7.50, while pizzas, sandwiches and salads are priced between $6 and $10.

The freshly made food comes straight from the brand new, full-service kitchen, complete with a walk-in cooler, dough

roller, three-compartment sinks and pizza ovens. The cooking area replaced offices and a stock room.

Next door is the recently installed bar, where along with its large choice of pilsners, porters and ales, wine lovers can opt for a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Sauvignon. A prominent chalkboard hangs overhead with details on each libation and its price, which range from $2.75 for a bottled beer to $8 for a 22-ounce draft. Wine goes for $8.

“We wanted to make it reasonable for people to come and eat dinner and have a cocktail,” Branch said, quoting Carolina Cinemas owner Bill Banowsky. “With our prices you could go every weekend.”

The redo didn’t stop there. The theater bought new water fountains, updated the six bathrooms with new tile, partitions and sinks, hung pendant lighting to replace the fiber optics, upgraded to a point-of-sale computer system, replaced the ceiling tiles and resealed and restriped the front parking lot. The building’s façade was repainted and a new canopy and digital marquee installed.

So far, customers have loved the changes, Branch said.  “It’s nice to be out and hear people talking about the theater positively when they don’t know I work there.” The theater’s Facebook page is winning raves. “Awesome job with the remodeling!!!” one customer wrote. “Food was great! New reclining chairs are crazy comfortable!! Best movie going experience in a very long time!!”

All the additions meant that Carolina Cinemas had to more than double its previous staff of 15. “It’s a new dynamic,” Branch said. For one thing, she said, the operation takes longer to clean as dishes have to be removed from the auditorium and seats wiped down in the short time between movies. The kitchen alone has 15 employees.

Branch said the reviews are reflected in the bottom line, which shows revenue is up 185 percent since the renovations were completed in early November.

“The community has been real supportive of the theater,” Branch said. “It’s now the place people have to go.”

Project description: Renovation of Carolina Cinemas Charlotte

Address: 9630 Monroe Road

Contractor: Hendrick Construction

Cost: $2 million

Construction started: April 2014

Construction completed: November 2014