Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has announced that it will be reopening its North Texas locations, including in Denton.
The theaters are expected to be back in business this summer, according to a news release Thursday.
Alamo Drafthouse locations in Denton, Richardson, Las Colinas and two in Dallas closed suddenly in June after franchisee Two Is One, One Is None LLC announced it was filling for bankruptcy. Two Is One, which also shuttered its theater in Minnesota, had its bankruptcy hearing earlier Thursday.
“We were heartbroken to hear about the franchisee’s decision to close their locations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Woodbury, MN, but we immediately got to work to acquire these as Alamo Drafthouse owned locations,” Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann said in the release. “We’re so excited to reestablish Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for our teammates and local film communities in these great cities during an incredibly successful summer of moviegoing.”
The company said that former employees of the DFW locations “will be made whole for lost wages that they were owed prior to the closures.”
Alamo Drafthouse said it will give first access for job interviews to former employees of the shuttered locations. The company said rehired employees will be immediately eligible for a more robust benefits plan, including 401(k) match, paid medical leave, accrued paid time off and mental health services.
Former employees from the Denton theater had been raising money for an employee relief fund. The GoFundMe campaign is now closed for new donations.
Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse after the franchisee’s bankruptcy.
Alamo Drafthouse plans to host a soft opening during the first week of each location’s reopening.
Moviegoers who are owed ticket refunds will receive free ticket vouchers, and the company also said that members of its Season Pass subscription program will enjoy a free month of membership when their accounts are reactivated.