A movie premier is being planned for the opening, although details have not been released.
By Paul M.J. Suchecki / Special to The Malibu Times
No date has been set for the reopening of the New Malibu Theater, which was destroyed in last April’s Cross Creek Plaza fire, but a revamped theater is expected to be ready for business in the fall. And the theater will reopen in style. The theater will reopen with a Hollywood premier, although Oregon-based Hollywood Theaters declined to release details. Meanwhile other Cross Creek businesses will be opening soon.
John Hunter, chief operating officer of Hollywood Theaters, said his company took the fire as an opportunity to strip the theater down to the studs and rebuild it in a luxurious way.
“It’s going to resemble more of a private screening room with fewer, wider, real leather seats that provide more leg room,” Hunter said.
Hunter said the sightlines will improve and the acoustics will be upgraded with greater sound insulation to knock down ambient noise. Also, a completely new Dolby Digital sound system will be installed. Both screens will be replaced. And in addition to fresh popcorn, the concession stand will offer more upscale fare. The auditoriums will be accented by wood and the lobby will have a marble floor. Ticketing will move into the Internet age with the ability to buy tickets online.
Bay Cities Beauty Supply officials say their business will be ready to reopen within a month. “Cross Creek will be back bigger and better than ever,” said Chris Stellavato, the store’s general manager. He said he anticipates numerous promotions to entice customers back to the plaza.
“We’ll have a meeting of all the affected business owners June 28,” Stellavato said. “They will set in motion a range of marketing initiatives, including a dedicated plaza Web site and various celebrations such as a parking lot tent sale. The roll-out will occur throughout the summer, culminating in the reopening of the movie theater come September.”
Chris Cavette, the owner of Fast Frame, estimated that his doors would reopen within a couple of weeks. He expected that his would be one of the first businesses to bounce back. Cavette had expected an earlier return, but to display his frames against a carpeted background, he needed strong, supporting walls.
“The first plywood mounted on the walls was too thin, only 3/8 of an inch,” Cavette said. ” It warped and had to be replaced.”
Cavette is waiting for the wall carpeting to be redone and the molding and computers to be installed. He will also need a thorough safety inspection, vital since the 2005 fire was caused by an electrical malfunction.
Cavette said he was discouraged about the delay, since his business interruption insurance was only good for 12 months. “I’ve seen skyscrapers go up in that time.,” he said.
The store owner is now living off his savings, but he stressed that the community has been supportive. “I’ve had customers call telling me that they were saving all their framing until we reopened. In some cases, that’s been 14 months.”
A new attraction for Fast Frame will be a photo gallery. Cavette is dedicating an entire wall of the store to the work of Clio Award-winning cinematographer Barry Dukoff, who is just as handy with a still camera. Cavette describes the shooter’s work as “unusual European landscapes and architecture.” The mounted photos will not only highlight Fast Frame’s product line, but will be available for sale as well.
Cross Creek Plaza owner Steve Soboroff shares Cavette’s frustration with the delay. He said under normal circumstances reconstruction would have been finished within a year. He attributes the setback to several factors: busy local real estate construction, explosive economic growth in Asia, rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq. All have “put upward pressure on the raw materials and labor markets,” Soboroff said.
“When raw materials are needed in Iraq whether it’s rebar, lumber or plywood, it goes there,” Soboroff explained. He said that war needs directly impacted his being able to get building supplies on three separate occasions.
“We try whenever possible to use local workers for construction, because they have a stake in the community,” Soboroff said.
Soboroff said other rebuilding Cross Creek businesses are going through major upgrades. “Casa Escobar will have an inviting outdoor plaza and the movie theater will be just phenomenal.”