Tag: Cafaro

Phoenix Theatres Celebrates Grand Opening

Posted on | by Joe Bell

 

Phoenix Theatres Celebrates Grand Opening at Governor’s Square Mall with Luxury Movie Going

New Phoenix Theatres Launches with Premium Tech, Affordable Prices in Clarksville

 

By Mark Haynes

Friday, May 23, 2025   Clarksville Online

 

Cory Jacobson, Owner of Phoenix Theatres, cuts the ribbon and officially opens Phoenix Theatres Governor’s Square Mall. (Mark Haynes, Clarksville Online)

Clarksville, TN – A new era of cinema has arrived in Clarksville as Phoenix Theatres celebrated the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of its newest location at Governor’s Square Mall on Thursday, May 22nd, 2025. The Michigan-based theatre chain officially welcomed the public to its state-of-the-art multiplex, offering a premium moviegoing experience designed to immerse, excite, and redefine what local audiences can expect from a night at the movies.

“This theatre is phenomenal. I’ve taken the tour, and it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s going to be a great addition to Clarksville. They really rolled out the red carpet for us tonight—it’s fantastic,” said Melinda Shepherd, Executive Director of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re here tonight to celebrate and congratulate Phoenix Theatres on the opening of their brand-new facility. Corey, I can confidently say this is the largest turnout we’ve ever had for a ribbon cutting. As you walk into the theater tonight, you’ll immediately see the level of investment Phoenix Theatres has made in Clarksville. We’re excited to enjoy many days and weeks of great films in this beautiful new space. This kind of investment also plays a big role in enhancing the quality of life in our community. So, thank you for believing in Clarksville. At the Chamber, we have a saying: ‘Stronger together.’ And with the investment Phoenix Theatres has made here, it truly helps strengthen our community,” said Mike Rainey, Chair of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce.

No grand opening would be complete without the electrifying sounds of the Montgomery Central High School marching band performing the Mission: Impossible theme and a high-energy appearance by the spirited Central Cheerleaders!

With ten fully renovated auditoriums, Phoenix Theatres brings cutting-edge features to Clarksville’s growing entertainment scene, including Dolby Atmos in five of its largest auditoriums—a first for the region. This technology provides a spatial audio experience that surrounds the audience in three-dimensional sound, delivering the most immersive audio available in cinema today.

“I think audiences are going to experience a level of immersion in film like never before. The Dolby Atmos auditoriums—it’s like stepping into Disney World for me. When we saw this technology, we knew it was something special, and we had to bring it to our theaters. We really love the Clarksville market, which is why we made our largest investment in Dolby Atmos here. We typically install four Atmos screens, but in Clarksville, we added a fifth because we saw the opportunity and believed the community deserved it. This is something brand new for the area, and I truly hope people are as excited about it as we are,” said Cory Jacobson, Owner of Phoenix Theatres.

Each of the ten auditoriums is equipped with 100% heated, fully reclining love-seat style chairs, offering an expansive 75 inches of legroom and adjustable armrests for maximum comfort. Reserved seating is available through the Phoenix Theatres mobile app and website, allowing guests to pick their favorite seats before arrival.

The five larger auditoriums—which seat around 144 guests each—offer the full Dolby Atmos + 4K Christie® Digital Projection experience, delivering razor-sharp visuals and dynamic audio. These rooms feature a sophisticated ‘Black Box’ design, using black acoustical drapes, absorptive paneling, black carpeting, and seating to eliminate reflections and distractions. With over 36 strategically placed speakers, including seat-integrated subwoofers, viewers are quite literally surrounded by the action.

“It’s like stepping into a different world,” said one opening night guest. “You can feel every explosion, every whisper—it’s a whole new level of cinema.”

Beyond the viewing experience, Phoenix Theatres prioritizes convenience and customer service. The lobby features a combined ticketing and concession line, making it easy for guests to grab snacks and tickets in one place. In addition, guests can enjoy self-serve Pepsi fountains and butter stations, ensuring quick service without long waits.

“As the landlord, we’re proud to welcome Corey and the entire Phoenix team to Clarksville. This is an outstanding event, and it’s going to be a tremendous asset to the community. The transformation from the previous theater operator has been remarkable. I strongly encourage everyone to come check it out—it’s a completely new experience, from the seats to the sound to the video. Everything is brand new, and it’s exactly what this community deserves,” said Anthony Cafaro, Co-President of the Cafaro Company.

Another standout feature? The family-friendly pricing. Despite the luxury amenities, Phoenix Theatres aims to keep costs accessible, offering premium experiences without the premium price tag.

Thomas Locke, Marketing Director for Governor’s Square Mall, emphasized the importance of the theater’s arrival: “This brings personality and quality to Clarksville’s cinema experience. It’s affordable, immersive, and privately owned—which means they really listen to the community. We couldn’t be more excited.”

Montgomery Central High School Marching Band and Cheerleaders. (Mark Haynes, Clarksville Online)

Phoenix Theatres at Governor’s Square Mall marks a major step in the mall’s revitalization and a significant addition to the city’s cultural and entertainment offerings. Whether you’re catching the latest blockbuster or enjoying a night out with the family, the new theater promises a cinema experience unlike any other in the region.

For tickets, showtimes, and seat reservations, visit www.phoenixmovies.net or download the Phoenix Theatres app.

 

 

Your Golden Ticket to Entertainment

Posted on | by Joe Bell

Coming Attraction: Ohio Valley Mall To Welcome Golden Ticket Cinema to Former AMC Location

Apr 25, 2025

GAGE VOTA

For The Intelligencer

 

CLAIRSVILLE — The Ohio Valley Mall will have a movie theater under its roof once again.

The mall announced that Golden Ticket Cinemas will take the place of AMC Theater, which did not renew its lease with the mall this past September, and will be the first Golden Ticket location in the state of Ohio.

The cinema will feature luxury recliners, an extensive food and beverage menu, deliver-to-seat service, and upgraded visuals and sound.

Golden Ticket Cinemas President John Bloemeke said patrons should expect a premium viewing experience.

“We’re bringing luxury reclining seating to every auditorium,” Bloemeke said. “We’re going to be bringing our own premium large format screen, which we call elite, which will be the region’s first 4K laser projection system, immersive sound, heated recliners, and an amazing experience.

“On top of that … we also are going to be expanding the menu significantly, where we’ll deliver to seat hot foods such as burgers, pizzas, wings, we even make milkshakes, donut bites, fried pickles,” he added.

“We’ll also have options for adults with our 27-tap beer wall, which we call our Ale House concept, where you can get a card, get ID’d, and you can try any number of beers, and pick a beer and bring it into the movies, or have a seat in the lounge, in the lobby as well.”

He added that although a set opening date isn’t finalized, he feels strongly in saying that the theater will be open before the 2025 holiday season.

“Absolutely, before the holidays,” Bloemeke said. “We’re hoping to be earlier than that, but we can’t pin down a date just yet, not this early out, but I think it’s a safe bet.

The fourth quarter of 2025 will see some major movies released, he added, including sequels to “Avatar,” “Wicked” and “Zootopia.”

Joe Bell, director of communications for the mall’s parent, Cafaro Co., said that he is extremely excited to be able to announce the addition of Golden Ticket Cinemas to the mall and believes it will fill the gap that was left by AMC in September.

“We are thrilled to have a new and much better theater coming to the Ohio Valley Mall,” Bell said. “Golden Ticket Cinemas is probably the fastest-growing movie theater company in America right now, and they bring a premium style of experience to movie lovers.

“They are working hard to make sure this theater experience is bigger and better than people in the community have seen before, and they think people in this area deserve it,” Bell added. “If you enjoy sitting in a theater and watching the first-run flicks, you’re gonna like it here.”

Bloemeke added that he plans to try to keep prices in line with what AMC previously had. He said that every Tuesday, tickets are $5.75 for all seats.

“We have things like the annual popcorn bucket that you can buy once for a one-time purchase, but then you can bring it in and fill it up for a reduced price,” he said. “So we try to keep it accessible for anyone on a budget, and we want to make sure everyone gets to come out to the movies.”

 

New Business Exploding at Kennedy Mall

Posted on | by Joe Bell

5 new businesses coming to Kennedy Mall

A quintet of new businesses is set to join the ranks at Dubuque’s Kennedy Mall, including a new department store.

Mall owner Cafaro Co. on Monday announced the new stores, all of which are expected to open by the end of the year. The ventures represent a combined 75,000 square feet of newly leased space across the mall.

“I can’t recall the last time we had this many businesses ready to open their doors within just a couple months of each other,” said Joe Bell, Cafaro Co. director of corporate communications. “That’s a very good sign for Kennedy Mall.”

The largest addition will be World Earth Superstore, a 66,000-square foot, two-level department store expected to open in the former Younkers space near Planet Fitness and The Fun Station. It will be owned by Irvin Johnson, of Durango, Iowa, who already operates World Earth Minerals and This & That at the mall.

The new store will include a selection of men and women’s apparel, furniture, decor, cosmetics and more. It also will have a coffee bar and candy shop, as well as a large selection of kids toys and entertainment.

“It’s basically a family store,” Johnson said. “We have a little bit of everything for anybody, and it’s at (discounted) prices that they can afford.”

World Earth Superstore is expected to open in December, though Johnson said some of the larger amenities will be added over time. World Earth Minerals and This & That will continue to operate in their current storefronts in addition to the superstore.

Bell said Johnson’s newest venture is exactly the kind of thing Cafaro likes to see from its tenants.

“This is an offshoot from an entrepreneur who already has a presence in the mall who is … taking the opportunity to take a (vacant) space and turn it into something a little different,” Bell said. “I’m excited to see what he does with it.”

In addition to the department store, the mall also stands to gain two new food and beverage options.

Bubbles Boba Tea will open the same month next to Shoe Carnival. It is one of the first Bubbles Boba Tea franchise locations in Iowa and will serve a variety of boba tea and other beverages, as well as flatbreads, salads and wraps.

Owner Jen Hart said Dubuque seemed like a good fit for the boba tea business because of its relative proximity to her Quad Cities location and the excitement and support from Kennedy Mall personnel.

“It seems like post-COVID there has been this big revival to the whole mall concept, and now seemed like a good time to test those waters,” Hart said. “… We’re hoping to offer a bubble tea experience that everyone can enjoy.”

In November, two beauty stores will join the mix at Kennedy Mall. Perfume Aura will open near center court to offer a variety of perfumes and colognes, and D’Or24K will occupy the space next to Hibbett Sports to sell premium cosmetics, skin care and anti-aging products.

Bell credited Cafaro’s leasing teams with keeping their “ears to the ground” to ensure the attraction of new clients to Kennedy Mall, adding that the five new stores will be major contributors to efforts to revitalize the shopping center.

Moving forward, he said Cafaro is focused on further meeting customers’ demands as it works to fill the mall’s remaining vacancies.

He also stressed the company’s interest in adding new food and beverage options and outlined plans for the possible development of standalone buildings on mall-adjacent properties for use by local businesses and/or chain restaurants.

“There’s a great demand from people in the community for different types of dining experiences, so we’re going to put some concerted effort to see what we can do in that arena (in 2025),” he said.