Upscale Fairview theater gets makeover

FAIRVIEW - When iPic Theaters bought Gold Class Cinemas' U.S. locations in October of last year, a lot more changed at the chain's Fairview location than the name. A series of recently-completed renovations has left the theater with a brand-new look and some innovative new features.

For starters, there's The Salt Lounge, a full-service bar featuring four pool tables and 19 flat screens that now occupies the lion's share of the theater's lobby area. The old Gold Class bar is now Tanzy Express, an upscale concession stand featuring fresh-made appetizers in addition to the standard popcorn-and-candy movie theater fare.

The new lounge not only provides patrons with a place to enjoy a drink before and after a movie but a place to come and relax any day of the week, said Vice President of Marketing Jim Lee. Indeed, 30-40 patrons took advantage of the facility for the Dallas Mavericks' final victory over the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals earlier this month.

"You don't have to see a movie to come hang out," he said.

Each of iPic's eight theaters still have the same luxurious microsuede recliners as before in the upper rows --- now known as "Premium Plus" seating --- with pillows and blankets available on request and full restaurant service. In the front half, the theaters now have leather "Premium" seats, which do not have tables for restaurant service and offer a more "traditional" movie experience.

"We had people who wanted a little bit of a choice or some options when it came to a movie," said Jim Nowicki, sales manager for iPic. "Historically, the old model was just the Premium Plus option, so by adding this it opened up the door. The price point is lower; it's a little bit more of a self-serve. When you come here, you get any kind of food, drinks or cocktails from Tanzy Express and you bring it in the theater with you."

In addition to the lobby area, every theater was completely renovated to accommodate the new layout. All of the theaters' projectors have gone digital, and four of them have 3D capability.

"Our motto is 'passion for movies,' and every person in this organization has a passion for movies," Lee said. "This is the best sight and sound of any theater in town."

For the next several weeks, iPic is inviting current members one free Premium seat --- with the opportunity to upgrade Premium Plus seating --- in an effort to show off the theater's new amenities. In addition, the remodeled theater has garnered attention from local media, including WFAA's Good Morning Texas.

"We're really excited that we're going to bring some attention to this area and try to really drive some business to this area as well," Nowicki said. "I think theaters, as everyone knows, do really well in the summertime. This should really do well for us this weekend."

And yes, patrons still get to reserve their own seats ahead of time online, Lee said, eliminating the hustle and bustle of finding a seat.

"We don't like that experience," Lee said. "The focus needs to be on the movies themselves."

iPic Theaters is located at 301 Stacy Road in The Village at Fairview. For information and tickets, visit www.ipictheaters.com.

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