On the heels of the successful openings of SMG Glendale in Southern California, and SMG Prosperity Village in Charlotte, NC at the end of 2019, Studio Movie Grill (“SMG”) will be kicking off the new year with major expansion across the country. Ted Croft, COO of Studio Movie Grill, confirmed today the opening of five SMG locations in the first three quarters of 2020. The brand will have fifteen locations in Texas once Chisholm Trail Ranch in Fort Worth and Aliana Waterview Town Center in Richmond, Texas open for business in Q2 and Q4 respectively. SMG Northpoint in Atlanta will mark SMG’s fourth location in Georgia, SMG Willow Grove will be its second Philadelphia theater, and SMG Citrus Heights will become its eighth in California building SMG’s presence in existing markets.
“We are extremely excited to confirm further expansion for SMG in 2020. New locations will add 62 screens to our existing 353 screens operating nationwide, bringing our screen count to over 400. Not only does this expansion offer SMG and our guests more screens and seats, it also allows us to grow our outreach into the communities we serve,” remarked Ted Croft, COO.
SMG Chisholm Trail will open in Q2 and anchor a major new commercial development with 10 screens and 1,200 luxury recliners at Chisholm Trail Parkway and McPherson in Fort Worth, TX. “We are thrilled to have Studio Movie Grill as the entertainment anchor to The Shops at Chisholm Trail Ranch. They are a great addition to the center, which is the newest destination for shopping, dining and entertainment in southwest Fort Worth,” shared Adam Schiller, Managing Principal, StreetLevel Investments.
Also opening in Q2, SMG Northpoint in Alpharetta, GA will drive new traffic to Northpoint Mall, one of the largest malls in the country. This theater conversion will house 1,331 luxury recliners and 14 screens.
SMG Willow Grove, a second Philadelphia location, will offer 12 screens and 1288 luxury recliners and open this summer at Willow Grove Park, a benchmark shopping and family entertainment destination in Willow Grove Pennsylvania, alongside Cheesecake Factory, Yard House and Apple.
In Sacramento, SMG Citrus Heights will mark SMG’s eighth California location and second in the area. Also set to open in the summer at 8501 Auburn Blvd. this theater will feature 12 screens with 1,252 luxury recliners.
Finally, in the lineup and due to open in Q4, the much anticipated, SMG Aliana will be a major anchor for the Aliana Waterview Town Center, located at Grand Parkway (SH99) and Grand Mission Blvd., in Fort Bend County, a 134-acre retail development. The site is adjacent to Aliana, Houston’s second top-selling master-planned community offering 4,000 homesites. To add to the excitement, this ground up theater will be a new prototype for SMG and house 12 screens and 1,160 luxury recliners, plus an outdoor viewing area for movies on the yard. It will mark SMG’s 15th location in Texas.
As the #1 cinema-eatery in the country, SMG has made Inc. Magazine’s List of “Fastest Growing Private Companies” three years in a row and placed twelfth in Box Office Magazine’s Giants of the Industry. In 2019, 50 films put SMG in the top 10 at the Box Office with key titles grossing as high as #5 in box office receipts. The signature SMG experience has proven immensely popular wherever new theaters have opened, continuing to fuel the current growth trend and act as a major traffic driver.
“SMG is committed to growing our concept and fulfilling our purpose to open hearts and minds, one story at a time,”shared Founder/CEO Brian Schultz. “Creating a best-in-class moviegoing and dining experience, we put an emphasis on our team and our communities. We will leave a positive wake for the people we serve and an economic impact in cities where we live. It is especially exciting to be expanding our footprint and reaching an even wider audience.”
Additionally, SMG is not only constructing new locations, they are actively preserving acquired movie spaces, including most recently SMG Glendale, which opened in Los Angeles in October 2019 anchoring the expanding Glendale Arts & Entertainment District adjacent to Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. studios. SMG Hampton in Virginia, formerly the Peninsula Movie Bistro was also acquired in 2019.
“SMG is focused on expansion and this year we’ll see continued growth,” remarked Andrew Bucki, VP of Development at SMG. “Our segment of movie exhibition continues to be the fastest growing in our industry and the SMG team is constantly innovating our brand with a focus on facility design, customer service, the best technology, and a robust menu.”
Each new SMG location will feature Prototype 2.2-a marriage of over 27 years of in-theater dining expertise and execution. Moviegoers can anticipate upscale social destinations, with definitive touchpoints in a modern, comfortable setting with a dedicated bar-lounge and the very best viewing experience. Guests in these locations can also expect a freshly prepared American Grill menu, full service premium bar, and the same friendly service SMG is known for nationwide.
About Studio Movie Grill
Conceived in 1993, Studio Movie Grill (“SMG”) modernized the traditional movie-going experience by combining first-run movies with full-service, in-theater dining. SMG has swiftly grown to 353 screens in 10 states. SMG was named to Inc. Magazine’s List of “Fastest Growing Private Companies” three years in a row, placed 12th in Box Office Magazine’s Giants of the Industry and, in 2019, 50 films put SMG in the top 10 at the Box Office with key titles grossing as high as #5 in box office receipts. Honoring its commitment to Opening Hearts and Minds, One Story at a Time™, SMG’s legacy programs include Special Needs Screenings, Chefs for Children program and annual Opening Hearts & Minds Award, which strive to help families and acknowledge local heroes. In June 2018, SMG created a unique loyalty program, SMG AccessTM which, as loyal guests earn rewards, allows them to join SMG in offering movies and meals to underserved community members. To date, this program has earned over 40,000 movies and meals. For additional information, visit studiomoviegrill.com.