Reed Center second location?

Like many other businesses, theaters are just trying to find a way to survive.

And beyond the pandemic, I'm not sure theater attendance will ever return to the glory days. Everyone now has a huge TV, home theater, high speed internet and tons of streaming options.

Movie attendance was already in decline and I believe it will be very, very slow to recover.

Pete I believe you are spot on.

Theaters are outrageously expensive. It’s not so much the ticket prices as it is the soda, popcorn, and junk food costs. We all know we can go to wallymart and even the dollar store and buy the box candy for a buck.

We don’t have to put up with people talking, texting, kids crying and screaming, and teens and young adults being obnoxious. I want quiet when I’m watching a movie.

When I was a kid it was a treat to go to a movie. It was an experience.

When I moved to OKC in 1976 to attend OCU, movies didn’t come out every week, they weren’t cranked our like McDonald’s cranks out crappy burgers. When a new movie was announced you’d have to wait in anticipation for a year or longer. Going to the movies was an experience, a treat, a joy (unless it sucked lol).

Dating or a movie night out with the wife was fun.

Now it’s like going to Walmart.


Pass the popcorn!

I’m seriously looking to update my sound system.

I’m serious, no joke, but I’m also looking at a quality popcorn maker for home.

I’m serious, no joke, but I’m also looking at a quality popcorn maker for home.

The good news is you can buy for about the same price as a bucket at the theater! ;)

Was the theater doing well before the pandemic?

I’m serious, no joke, but I’m also looking at a quality popcorn maker for home.

Use a good stainless steel stock pot with a heavy bottom and coconut oil, don't skimp on the oil, over medium high heat. Cover with the lid and wait until it stops popping...... You can thank me later. ;)

Oh and you can't go wrong with Amish Country popcorn.... Get one of their variety packs.

Don't know if its been said already, the rumor I am hearing is Bill Warren has walked and is letting it go to the bank. Take that with a grain of salt but they are removed from the regal and some ticketing sites. Don't hold your breath on Regal buying it anytime soon. I would bet money they would be happy to sell you any of the former Warrens for a smoking deal. I know last summer, 2019, Regal was not happy with the numbers the Moore location was pulling when everything was full go.

I no longer have any insight into any particular theatre's business, but with the Regal removing some of the fluff, downgrading some of the operations, and with other chains catching up with some of the other amenities Warren was first to market with, it makes sense the appeal would no longer be there like it was even just a few years ago.

Don't know if its been said already, the rumor I am hearing is Bill Warren has walked and is letting it go to the bank. Take that with a grain of salt but they are removed from the regal and some ticketing sites. Don't hold your breath on Regal buying it anytime soon. I would bet money they would be happy to sell you any of the former Warrens for a smoking deal. I know last summer, 2019, Regal was not happy with the numbers the Moore location was pulling when everything was full go.

That's what I would do. Not going to throw good money after bad for a business I don't really care about it anymore.

Ok you guys on home made popcorn. Do yourself a huge favor and get some Flavacol. You can get it at Amazon. Flavacol is THE secret recipe for great popcorn.

Google it. See YouTube. Flavacol. You heard it here first.

You’re welcome

I no longer have any insight into any particular theatre's business, but with the Regal removing some of the fluff, downgrading some of the operations, and with other chains catching up with some of the other amenities Warren was first to market with, it makes sense the appeal would no longer be there like it was even just a few years ago.

Bingo.... While I never felt the Regal operated Warren was as bad as a lot of people on social media made it sound... They did away with all the things that made Warren special.

No one opening the door as you walked in, free flavorings for the popcorn, REAL BUTTER on the popcorn.

I remember the first time I sat in the balcony and ordered popcorn with cheddar seasoning and they had actually layered the seasoning all the way through the bucket so I had cheddar from first bite to last.

I don't know why what's happen Golden Corral still out of business or for how long will get back in the business and it's been in 5 1/2 month from now? and Warren Theaters very very disappoint :(

Im freaking pissed at Arvest about this. As theaters are able to open again, they should be allowing businesses significant leeway in their debts during this time. It's not any good for them to have a business default any more than it is for the business. And this is absolutely an unprecedented event. I was so freaking happy to finally be able to go to a movie here in MWC and really enjoyed the experience at this place.

Im freaking pissed at Arvest about this. As theaters are able to open again, they should be allowing businesses significant leeway in their debts during this time. It's not any good for them to have a business default any more than it is for the business. And this is absolutely an unprecedented event. I was so freaking happy to finally be able to go to a movie here in MWC and really enjoyed the experience at this place.

Banks don't just default customers because they can. They work with them, and if the customer gives ANY inkling they won't be able to pay a loan back, then it gets marked down, or foreclosed on. But not just because they are behind on loan payments. The Warren wouldn't be making money for a long while.

From what i am hearing Regal is currently working with Arvest to lease and reopen the theater. I will post an update once i hear more.

^

Sometimes it's best to be the 2nd one in; get a way better deal.

Hope it works out.

Im freaking pissed at Arvest about this. As theaters are able to open again, they should be allowing businesses significant leeway in their debts during this time. It's not any good for them to have a business default any more than it is for the business. And this is absolutely an unprecedented event. I was so freaking happy to finally be able to go to a movie here in MWC and really enjoyed the experience at this place.

Don't know the details, but it just seems like Bill Warren decided he was done with the place. The potential for Arvest bank and Regal coming to an agreement would be positive news.

Whatever keeps the place open. I really enjoyed going there and it's far too young to close already. The amount of money that would be lost there is crazy if it doesn't open.

Don't know if this means anything and it could just be a random coincidence but I needed to get an address to get an exact tax rate for a Dutch Brothers Coffee that is going in across the street from the Warren and when I typed in Warren Theater Midwest City the first listing to show up in Google was the following

https://www.regmovies.com/theatres/midwest-city-warren-theatre/1477

It is a broken link that goes to a 404 page but there shouldn't be any other reason for it to be there so maybe they are close to a deal.

Don't know if this means anything and it could just be a random coincidence but I needed to get an address to get an exact tax rate for a Dutch Brothers Coffee that is going in across the street from the Warren and when I typed in Warren Theater Midwest City the first listing to show up in Google was the following

https://www.regmovies.com/theatres/midwest-city-warren-theatre/1477

It is a broken link that goes to a 404 page but there shouldn't be any other reason for it to be there so maybe they are close to a deal.

that is from before it closed remember regal ran the theater

Sorry I didn't know that. Thank you for the info.

I worked here before it closed, i was furloughed and since then they have emailed us AT LEAST 6-7 times with a new reopening date but every time that date rolls around it gets pushed back. My last message saying they were close to finalizing the deal was the last time i got an email from them. Since then its been silent.

I just saw a news report on KFOR that says the MWC location is going up for a Sheriff sale in March to the highest bidder. MWC staff is hoping another theater operator will purchase it and keep it as a theater.

Edit: here is the link

https://kfor.com/news/warren-theatre-in-midwest-city-going-up-for-auction/

^^^ Yeah, I saw another report today that the Midwest City Hospital kicked in something like 6 MILLION DOLLARS to help finance the theatre.

WTF is a hospital doing lending money to a theater?????????

^^^ Yeah, I saw another report today that the Midwest City Hospital kicked in something like 6 MILLION DOLLARS to help finance the theatre.

WTF is a hospital doing lending money to a theater?????????

i would guess it was the "MWC hospital authority" which is really just an investment arm of the city and has nothing to do with the hospital ..

https://oklahoman.com/article/5682030/its-the-end-for-midwest-citys-warren-theatre

I'm still pretty pissed at Arvest about this. I mean I realize that banks can't forgive debt permanently, but Arvest full well knows that COVID is preventing the place from opening again, but they also know that the place CAN open in the future. It's not as though it's a failing business. Arvest could have put this debt on hold and will now lose their tail on the sale. It's not a good decision for either side so why push it? Did they think Warren was just going to hand over a payment for nothing? Arvest was really stupid here. Now they will lose their shirt on the loan and everything else because the debt was only 6 months old when this happened. Arvest, you're idiots.

Now hopefully that means that a different theater owner will come in after COVID and be able to buy it at a bargain and have an incredibly low overhead on a magnificent building. The last bit of the article says it all and points to why Arvest was sooooooo stupid here.

I think part of the problem and I can't completely confirm this it's just hearsay but it sounded like Bill Warren just walked away completely. The MWC location was supposed to be one branded theater he still personally owned and when Covid hit and killed the opening he just gave up it sounds like. And I'm sure not many chains are interested in buying locations right now.

I wonder how long get back in business?

If Edmond can support two movie theatres, one full sized one and one high end “boutique” type, why can’t the MWC/Del City support one? Surely they can. Regal Theatres can be VERY nice when done right. The one in downtown LA blows away anything in OKC.

The economic demographics are, uh, slightly different between Edmond and Mid/Del

The economic demographics are, uh, slightly different between Edmond and Mid/Del
I understand that but I mean I think that the area could support at least one movie theatre.

The economic demographics are, uh, slightly different between Edmond and Mid/Del

It's not just Mid-Del either, it's all of EOC. Find me a movie theater anywhere in that 150K person population zone.
Just Mid-Dell is 100k people alone. Find me somewhere else in the metro with that size population that doesn't have any sort of movie theater at all.

Warren was a but much, but I think it would have survived had it not been for COVID. People have been screaming for this ever since the TWO Heritage theaters closed. Remember, MWC used to have TWO theaters. And the screen count was about the same as this one Warren. There's been a drought ever since those two closed in the theater wars of the early 00's since they were traditional slope and not theater slope.

Another thing people forget is that EOC is that it has the largest employer in the state along with dozens of contractor who support it. Choctaw, Harrah and Jones are growing exponentially. Take a drive through there and you will be amazed at what you see. All of their shopping is mostly done in MWC. Even MWC has grown and been updated. I was driving through the other morning and tons of homes have been renovated in the older section.

Finally people don't really understand the size and population of the area. If you just think of what you see off the interstate it's very easy to underestimate what is there.

Exactly Tritoon. That view from the interstate is only a small fraction of MWC and actually misses the majority of the income in the area. There is ABSOLUTELY support for a theater here.

Regal will purchase the Warren Theater after all.

https://www.centraloklahomaweeklies.com/2021/07/02/regal-agrees-buy-midwest-city-warren-theatre/?fbclid=IwAR2E83tGyOd0Fovmo2Sczz3eIQ8G52fjLwNGgHet 4jrvMDX5MuYj6jbTCeE

I’m glad someone’s buying it but after seeing what they did to the other Warren’s I can’t help being a little disappointed it was them.

^

Very good news, especially the part about reopening very soon.

Thanks for posting.

The Beacon reports that it is open as of TODAY!

Showtimes:

https://www.regmovies.com/theatres/regal-midwest-city/1482#/buy-tickets-by-cinema?in-cinema=1482&at=2021-07-08&view-mode=list

Just went by there...

They opened yesterday (7/7) and their bar and concessions are available but the full kitchen won't open for a couple of weeks.

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When i drove by this weekend, the lot was PACKED.

I go to the the most recent Start Wars movie here before everything hit the fan. And it was awesome!