UPDATE: AMC Phipps Plaza adding liquor, converting seats to ‘power recliners’

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Gmail
Photo courtesy AMC Theatres

Movie theatre slated for $1.2 Million facelift.

AMC Phipps Plaza 14 is undergoing a $1.2 Million renovation, according to an application for a building permit filed with City of Atlanta on April 25.

Sign up now to get our Daily Breaking News Alerts

Opt out at anytime

The movie theatre located on the third floor of the luxury Buckhead mall announced its plans for the renovations in a press release Wednesday.

“For the last several years we’ve worked to bring our guests a number of different moviegoing improvements to help get people excited about coming to the movies, and we’ve had great success with a variety of enhancements at locations around the country,” Mark McDonald, executive vice president of Global Development at AMC, said in the release.

When finished, the theatre will feature stadium-style seating instead of the current sloped floors, according to the release. The seats will be converted into “power recliners with footrests.”

In addition, AMC plans to install a MacGuffins bar (named after a term coined by famed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock) allowing guests to order a beer, wine or cocktail at the theatre.

AMC’s concession stand will be remodeled into The Marketplace. Instead of waiting in lines to order, the concessions are laid out at convenient stations, allowing guests to choose what they want, before proceeding to the checkout area.

Other modifications to the theatre include a renovation of the theatre’s restrooms, as well as changes to the box office and lobby area.

“These innovative renovations to AMC Phipps Plaza are going to take moviegoing in Atlanta to an entirely new level,” Dewayne Herbert, mall manager at Phipps Plaza, said in the release. “We are thrilled with this announcement, as it complements other recent additions to the mall — such as the opening of LEGOLAND Discovery Center — in establishing Phipps Plaza as an entertainment destination.”

Construction will begin at AMC Phipps Plaza this summer and the theatre will remain open during the renovations, which should be complete by the end of 2012.

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

12 Responses

  1. “[I]t complements other recent additions to the mall — such as the opening of LEGOLAND Discovery Center — in establishing Phipps Plaza as an entertainment destination.”

    Drop the kids off at LEGOLAND, get liquored up at the movie theater. Sounds like a plan.

  2. I bet Urbanist cannot wait to relax in those comfy chairs and get his drink on after a long day of shopping and planning snippy comments about how Atlanta sucks. But only when its not holiday season and the mall isn’t chocked full of rubes who love going to the mall.

  3. I’m disappointed that movies that I used to be able to see at Phipps I now have to drive further to see at Cinebistro Brookhaven. Longer drive, tougher parking, and higher prices. For instance, Phipps isn’t showing The Avengers or the 5 Year Engagement. You have to go to Cinebistro for those. I’d rather drive a few extra miles and go to the AMC on Cobb Parkway to see them. Phipps will definitely be losing my business.

  4. Phipps lost my business when the Magic Johnson closed and its patrons imigrated to Phipps and Atlantic Station. Shut up, put away your phone and enjoy the movie.

  5. I saw a movie in Atlantic Station and the phones were out during the show in full force. I don’t care if you’re not talking and just texting, the screen is bright and detracts from the movie. It seems like the people doing this kind of stuff in the theater don’t care about the people around them in the least. If I am going to pay 12 to watch a movie I do not want to know what little boo is up to. I don’t care.

  6. “[P]ower recliners with footrests” seems like overdoing it a bit. Are people going there to watch a movie or take a nap?

    Also, won’t big, cushy recliners with moving parts be harder to keep clean (and clean under and around) and in working order than regular theater seats? Seems pretty unlikely that they’re going to pay the employees more and/or give them extra time to vacuum out the creases and crevices in those things every couple of days.

  7. JULES lets read between the lines of your comment ” Phipps lost my business when the Magic Johnson closed and its patrons imigrated to Phipps and Atlantic Station. Shut up, put away your phone and enjoy the movie”
    -Phipps lost my business when that ghetto movie theatre shut down in the hood and all the negros took marta in mass and took over our movie theatres not to mention they are loud, rude and ruin any chance of enjoying a movie that i paid good money for. thanks silly africans thanks alot!

  8. Recliners sound really nice.. but I’d rather see them spend the money on cell phone scramblers. And don’t give me that “I’m waiting on an emergency phone call so I need my phone”. Then bitch, don’t go to a movie. Even though Rioja is being sarcastic, that’s exactly how Atlanta movie theaters are. Blacks can’t keep their damn mouths closed nor exhibit any manner of common courtesy whatsoever. Instead of calling people racist or scolding them for complaining about black behavior… CHANGE IT. I don’t pay $14 to listen to Shaniqua’s commentary. I pay to hear what the actors are actually saying.

  9. No need to go between the lines here folks! Bryen thats an honest answer. Yet, for some reason the blog post is about renovations to a theatre and not about minorities and how bad thier behavior can be. Thank god you added “Shaniqua” and more loud black patrons to your comment( I think we covered that a couple of comments back) for good measure. Side note, I didn’t exactly scold or point fingers at anyone. I just interpreted a comment that quite frankly could have been an honest post and not a gray racial slam like “…….spend money on cell phone scramblers” . Your post should be on a billboard in Buckhead because it’s honest and redundant in topic and has anger and disgust. Keep up the good work! Recliners sound really nice.

  10. Now i have been reading this blog for over 2 yrs now and I think that there should be some type of responsibility on your part Caleb to delete negative comments like the above comments about certain races or cultures that have nothing i repeat absolutely nothing to do with the article. I find what the two bloggers bryen and rioja are commenting on to be very offensive and derrogatory and judgemental to one race.. This article did not have anything to do with your ignorant comments. Caleb i have been a fan of your blog for sometime now but I can’t continue to support it if comments like the above cannot be either flagged or completely removed…

  11. Yay my fav theatre is getting updated… but then again thats why its my favorite 🙁 – now everyone will come back to Phipps to watch movies and that means, no more good seats, no more putting my feet on the seat in front of me without anyone bitching… addition of AS crowd flashing their smartphones and talking during the movie…. time to pick a new fav theatre.

    North DeKalb perhaps? They are AMC so they have the Coke Float..

Leave a Reply to rioja Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Search