Empire Theatres

Infobox Company
name = Empire Theatres

type = Private (subsidiary of Empire Company)
genre =
foundation = 1978
founder =
location_city = New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
location_country = Canada
location =
locations = 53
area_served = Canada
key_people =
industry = Movie theatres
products =
services =
market c

revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
owner =
num_employees = approx. 3000
parent = Empire Company
divisions =
subsid =
homepage = [http://empiretheatres.com www.empiretheatres.com]
footnotes =
intl = yes

Empire Theatres is the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada, and the only major circuit operating in Atlantic Canada. A subsidiary of Empire Company Ltd., the family-owned parent of the Sobeys supermarket chain presently has full or joint control over 60 locations and 403 screens, including a four-location joint venture in western Canada with Landmark Cinemas.Many, but not all, of its larger locations are branded "Studio #", with "#" being the number of screens at that location. Other locations are named "Empire (location) #", number showing the number of screens. Some more locations havs there own unique name, such as the 6-screen cinemas in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland & Labrador being named Topsail Cinemas due to its location being Topsail Road.

Empire Theatres was formed from the Sobeys' purchase of the Atlantic assets of Canadian Odeon Theatres, later Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, in 1984. Later, it also acquired select Famous Players Theatres locations, including those in Newfoundland and Labrador.

However, throughout the 1990s, Famous Players Theatres remained a major competitor in the Maritime provinces. Empire responded by opening several new or replacement locations along the lines of the multiplexes being opened by Cineplex and Famous in the rest of Canada.

Despite aggressive expansion previously, this time, Famous Players, focused on improvements elsewhere, did not match Empire's moves, which included an eighteen-screen (including one Empire Imax Theatre Screen) multiplex in suburban Halifax. With comparably minor interests in the region, Famous cut back on marketing and ultimately sold its remaining screens in Atlantic Canada to Empire in 2004.

While Empire operates the majority of the Atlantic region's screens, including in many smaller centres, several independent theatres remain in other small centres.

On August 22, 2005, Empire announced it would acquire 27 theatres, with a total of 202 screens, in locations stretching from British Columbia to Ontario, from Cineplex Galaxy LP, as a result of the latter's acquisition of Famous Players Theatres, effectively doubling Empire's size. Most of the locations are smaller "traditional" venues, but some are larger theatres, such as Coliseum Calgary (Now Studio 10 MacLeod Trail), Silvercity theatres in Kitchener and St. Catharines, as well as one in Calgary, Alberta (Now Studio 12 Gateway Park, Studio 8 Pen Centre, and Studio 16 respectively), and Square One in Mississauga (Now Studio 10 Square One), and Silvercity Empress Walk (now Empire Empress Walk in North York, ON). The deal closed September 30 2005.

Empire Theatres does not operating any other locations in Quebec, since that chain has ceded to Cinemas Guzzo.

As of July 2008, the Empire Theatres chain has 18 screens equipped with digital projection and 17 with Real D Digital 3D.

Lobby

Many Empire venues supply New York Fries, Pretzelmaker, TCBY, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, or instead of Pizza Hut some locations have Pizza Pizza (such as Empire 18 Cinemas and IMAX Theatre in Bayer's Lake- Suburban Halifax, NS). Along with these food venues, Empire Theatres also have their own food venue in every theatre with food items such as popcorn and nachos. Some bigger theatres, and most newly constructed theatres also have arcades known as Zone Arcade

The Empire Theaters location in Dartmouth Crossing, Nova Scotia had a special "Connect" Zone, where patrons could have access to the internet, and play interactive games like Guitar Hero. However, it did not succeed well, and was shut down. It is not known if the Connect Zone idea will be incorporated into newer theatres.

External links

* [http://www.empiretheatres.com/ Empire Theatres Website]