Category Archives: Theaters

Bill Warren’s IMAX theaters again are the top-grossing IMAX theaters in the country

March 12, 201311:02 a.m.

WICHITA — Bill Warren is getting a bit of a reputation, and he doesn’t mind.

He says his Moore, Okla., and Wichita IMAX theaters again were the No. 1 and No. 2 top-grossing IMAX theaters in the country over the weekend and that the Empire IMAX in New York City was No. 3.

Warren’s theaters have been on top so much, soon it’ll hardly be news if they make it again. Warren admits he now has something to live up to.

“As opposed to my normal thing – something I have to live down to.”

Warren says the numbers, which he won’t share, are particularly significant given that his prices are less expensive than tickets in New York and elsewhere.

He credits his staff and the design of his theater, which opened at 21st and Tyler in 2010.

The IMAX theaters are all showing “Oz the Great and Powerful,” Warren says.

“For a movie this big to do that, that’s pretty incredible.”

Warren admits he’s proud and perhaps a bit braggadocios about the whole thing.

“You’re right. I am bragging. admittedly so. Out-grossing New York? I mean, come on.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Theaters | Comments Off

You don’t say

March 5, 20135:05 p.m.

“I just think people appreciate quality, and a lot of businesses underestimate that.”

– Theater owner Bill Warren, who says his Moore, Okla., and Wichita Imax theaters were the No. 1- and No. 3-grossing Imax theaters nationally over the weekend

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Espanola, New Mexico, theater makes 12th theater property for Mitchell Theatres

March 5, 20134:29 p.m.

WICHITA — Brian Mitchell regularly drives between his family’s New Mexico theaters in Taos and Los Lunas, so he couldn’t help but notice the Dreamcatcher 10 theater in Espanola, N.M.

“Actually, there’s a stoplight right there,” he says. “I had to sit there and look at it.”

He and his family, who own Mitchell Theatres, considered buying it but thought someone else beat them to it. Then, they discovered that deal fell through.

“That’s when we jumped in on it.”

The family now owns the 10-screen theater, which makes its 12th theater property. This makes the fourth theater it has purchased from Storyteller Theatres.

“When you drive by something every time, it was like, OK … we’ve got to see about buying this thing,” Mitchell says. “That’s the farmer in us, I guess. You pass a piece of ground … .”

The family, including Mitchell’s siblings Brent, a lawyer at Martin Pringle, and Kendra Ramsey, who lives in Texas, is a farming family that bought its first theater in Newton almost seven years ago and has been steadily acquiring new theaters ever since. The family also owns the Chisholm Trail Center-Outlet & Retail Shops in Newton.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under New business, New Mexico, Theaters | Comments Off

Mitchell Theatres purchases former Lakeside Theatre in Woodward, Okla.

Sept. 9, 201110:51 a.m.

WICHITA — Mitchell Theatres has purchased another theater, this time in Woodward, Okla.

The ever-busy Brian Mitchell knows it’s a lot.

“I’ve got to get this done here pretty quick because we’ve got corn harvest coming,” he says.

The Mitchell family — which includes Brian Mitchell and his siblings Brent, a lawyer at Martin Pringle, and Kendra Ramsey, who lives in Texas — is a farming family that bought its first theater in Newton five years ago and has been steadily acquiring new theaters ever since.

Last month, the family bought Belton Cinema 8 in Belton, Mo., which made its seventh chain of theaters in the region.

The Woodward acquisition, which includes an expansion, means the family will have 58 screens.

The Woodward City Commission approved an $800,000 incentive package for the theater deal.

The Woodward theater is the former three-screen Lakeside Theatre.

Brian Mitchell says it appears to have been built in stages, with one screen across the lot from two other screens.

“It’s the craziest deal.”

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You don’t say

Sept. 6, 20115:06 p.m.

“I really don’t think my Christmas-carol teenagers want a police record.     . . . And I don’t think my managers of my theaters want police records.    . . . So what choice do we have?”

— Warren Theatres owner Bill Warren, who is canceling the young carolers he used to hire at Christmastime due to the city’s law against businesses hiring musicians without having entertainment licenses

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Kansas Dance Academy owners are new operators of Crown Uptown Theatre

Sept. 6, 201111:18 a.m.

Ray and Diane Gans (left) and Matthew Rumsey are the new operators of the Crown Uptown Theatre.

WICHITA — Ray and Diane Gans, who have owned the Kansas Dance Academy for 26 years, are the new owners and operators of the Crown Uptown Theatre.

Last month, Have You Heard? reported that an undisclosed group made an offer to Karen Morris, who for 31 years ran the theater near Douglas and Hillside with her late husband, Ted.

“We’ve just kind of always been involved in the theater,” says Diane Gans, who will be the artistic consultant.

Ray Gans, who will be director of operations, has a band called Oncall and is the son of Jeannie Park Gans, who had been with Phil Spitalny and His All-Girl Orchestra in New York City in the 1940s.

Gans and his siblings sang professionally with their mother while growing up.

“We were the von Trapps of Wichita,” he says.

Jeannie Park Gans and her brother, Robert C. Park, are partners with Ray and Diane Gans in the Crown Uptown along with Scott and Lisa Ritchie.

“They’re just big supporters of the arts and want this to continue on with the Crown,” Ray Gans says.

The group is operating as Crown Partners.

Matthew Rumsey, an actor and former manager with Melad Stephan’s Empire Restaurant Management, is the executive artistic director and the food and beverage director.

Brian Mangers, a chef at the Candle Club, also will be the chef for the Crown Uptown.

Their first show is “White Christmas,” which will open Thanksgiving weekend.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under New business, Theaters | Comments Off

Mitchell Theatres acquires Belton Cinema 8 in Belton, Mo., for its seventh theater group

Aug. 26, 20115:51 a.m.

WICHITA — Mitchell Theatres has acquired its seventh chain of theaters in the region, which means it now has 52 screens.

The Mitchell family’s acquisition of Belton Cinema 8 in Belton, Mo., marks its first foray into the Kansas City area, but it’s not likely to be its last.

“There could be more opportunities up there,” says Brian Mitchell.

He operates the business with his siblings, Brent Mitchell, a lawyer at Martin Pringle, and Kendra Ramsey, who lives in Texas.

The Mitchell family is a farming family that bought its first theater in Newton five years ago, and Brian Mitchell says lessons from farming are proving beneficial in the theater business.

“It’s kind of the farm concept,” he says of managing expenses by buying carefully and doing remodeling and other work themselves.

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Undisclosed group strikes deal for Crown Uptown Theatre

Aug. 11, 201110:58 a.m.

WICHITA — It looks like a group other than NoMar Theatre Inc. will be purchasing the Crown Uptown Theatre.

“I have received an offer, and I’ve accepted it, and they’re working on getting everything finalized,” says owner Karen Morris.

“They are going to run it as a theater.”

Look for news on that group within a week or two.

In June, Have You Heard? reported that NoMar Theatre, which formed two years ago to try to buy and restore the historic NoMar Theatre at 21st and Market, was starting a capital campaign to try to buy the Crown Uptown space.

The idea was to make enough money there to eventually be able to buy and renovate the NoMar space.

Then earlier this month, Morris said another group wanted the space and seemed to have the money ready to buy it.

“Trying to raise money in this environment is very difficult,” says J Basham, NoMar’s interim executive director.

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NoMar Theatre Inc. isn’t the only group vying for the Crown Uptown Theatre

Aug. 5, 20115:31 a.m.

WICHITA — NoMar Theatre Inc. is still interested in purchasing the Crown Uptown Theatre from owner Karen Morris, but another group is vying for the space as well.

“They seem to have the money,” Morris says of the second unnamed group. “They are working on the business deal.”

The NoMar group is working to raise money to buy the theater.

“It’s slow,” says J Basham, interim executive director. “Very slow.”

Morris’ late husband, Ted, ran the theater near Douglas and Hillside for 31 years.

After her husband’s death, Morris leased the building to Crown Uptown Management, which struggled financially, until May when she changed the locks.

Morris, who previously has said she wants to see the theater continue, says she’s open to talking with anyone.

She says members of NoMar have been great to her by helping with repairs at the theater. However, the other group appears closer to being able to make a deal.

“I should know something hopefully next week.”

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There’s some relief for Crown Uptown Theatre ticketholders and those who have booked events there

June 13, 20114:14 p.m.

WICHITA — A number of people are wondering about future dates they’ve booked at the Crown Uptown Theatre, whether it’s for private parties or to see shows.

There’s good news and bad news.

“If I can work it out through the city, I have several weddings that I have talked to that I have told them I would go ahead and do it,” says Karen Morris, who owns the building.

She doesn’t have a liquor license, though, so she’s checking into whether a caterer with a license is sufficient.

“I can’t imagine going through that nightmare of having all these plans and then having everything turned upside down,” Morris says of wedding parties that are booked there. “I’m trying to work with them and get something going for them.”

Since Morris isn’t the one who took deposits on parties — Crown Uptown Management, which leased space from her, did — she can’t refund them. She says even if a group has already paid a deposit, she’ll still have to charge a nominal amount to pay for electricity and cleaning.

For any Crown Uptown customers who still have tickets or gift certificates, they can now use them at Mosley Street Melodrama.

The Old Town theater will honor Crown Uptown tickets and certificates to use for Mosley Street shows.

“They are welcome to come see the show at no cost,” says Steve Hitchcock of Mosley Street.

If the customers want dinner, too, they’ll have to pay an extra $12.

“We’re hoping that it kind of builds more of an audience for us,” Hitchcock says of inviting Crown customers.

He hopes people “come here and fall in love with it and want to come back.”

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