Former AMC in Buffalo Township to reopen Saturday
Movie buffs in Buffalo Township won’t have to wait long for their chance to watch the newest releases on the big screen again.
The former AMC Classic theater on Route 356, which closed back in mid-August, will reopen on Saturday, Oct. 26, under its original name, South Pike Cinemas.
According to building owner Nick Mulone, the closure happened because AMC declined to renew its lease on the property.
“They leased it off of me. They didn’t renew the lease, so I opened it back up under the old name,” Mulone said. “It’s under new management.”
Mulone said that during the last two months the theater was given a face-lift, improving the cinema experience for moviegoers. Improvements include repainting, cleaning and redecorating the interior, as well as installing large monitor screens for displaying prices at the concession stand.
“We’ve been getting stuff in order, getting some new equipment, and getting everybody together,” Mulone said.
He added that the AMC letters have been taken down from the building, and that the letters for the South Pike Cinemas should be applied by next week.
Of the employees who suddenly found themselves out of a job when the AMC Classic theater closed, Mulone estimates that he was able to rehire roughly 70% of them to the reborn South Pike Cinemas.
The theater, which boasts 10 screens, took on the name of AMC Classic in 2017 when the cinema chain purchased the theater’s previous brand, Carmike Cinemas, and acquired all of its locations.
The reopening on Saturday comes just in time for some major releases, such as “Moana 2,” “Wicked,” “Mufasa,” “Kraven the Hunter” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which are expected to light up the big screen before the end of the year.
