The former Regal Cinema in the Moraine Pointe Plaza is slated to open this summer as a MovieScoop location. The theater closed in March 2020 during the pandemic.

An independent theater chain will open this summer in the former Regal Cinema location in Moraine Pointe Plaza.

The Regal Cinema at Moraine Pointe Plaza has been closed since March 2020.

Its Butler location was just one of 536 Regal Cinemas that closed last year in the face of dwindling ticket sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But now, MovieScoop said it will open the cinema this summer, according to an announcement on social media. MovieScoop is based is based in Pittsburgh and has five locations in Pennsylvania and Ohio, including one in Cranberry Township.

“We're really happy with this location and (to) roll out the red carpet,” said Liz Harper, MovieScoop's director of marketing. “We feel very lucky that we could take over the lease.”

Harper said the company chose the location because there aren't many other movie theater options in the area and she liked the theater's appearance.

“We've all driven by the theater a number of times and always thought that's a handsome theater,” Harper said. “It's a fantastic location and we know that community needs a good movie theater.”

Harper said MovieScoop is hoping to open in July and the company has been working to acquire the lease for the theater since earlier this year. When the theater opens, the company plans to offer $5 ticket sales on Mondays.

She also said the company plans to renovate the theater at some point in the future to turn it into a luxury theater with bigger, leather reclining chairs. To open in Butler, the company is seeking to hire all positions, including a head manager, according to the site's listings.