PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Ericka Conant has lived on Christian Street in South Philly for the last two and a half years, so she’s never known a time when a movie theater was just blocks away in the Riverview Plaza along Columbus Boulevard.
“I was just on Columbus the other day, driving down,” she said. “I looked at it and thought, ‘What an eyesore.’”
Not long after that drive, she stumbled upon an Instagram post advertising that the theater would be reopening in 2026 under new management and with IMAX capabilities.
“This will be the first IMAX that I live close to, so I’ll definitely go once it opens,” Conant said.
The theater closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bart Blatstein’s Tower Investments repurchased the property in 2022. Its future was unclear until Thursday, when IMAX and partner Apple Cinemas — a small New England movie theater chain — announced the theater’s reopening plans.
For IMAX, many of its suburban Philly locations are the highest-grossing in the country, so returning to the city could be a hit.
Conant worries about the long-term viability, but said going to the movies is still a unique experience.
“It’s something to do with a loved one or a friend. It’s different than just sitting on a couch and just putting something on.”