Houston’s Reborn River Oaks Cinema will be completed in less than 25 days – a glimpse into the dramatic transformation of a historic movie theater

Sn the main space of the River Oaks Theater, its art deco flourishes still high on the walls, all its old seats gone and its bare floor visible, the feeling of possibility is real. This historic Houston movie theater, which dates back to 1939, really has a chance to come back as something special. A landmark in the country’s fourth-largest city that’s actually a nice place to live rather than just loved in an almost purely nostalgic way.

In its late years as a Landmark-operated movie theater, the River Oaks Theater, as it was once called, was not a very pleasant place to watch a movie. This renovated River Oaks Theater (moving from theater to theater is a subtle part of the renovation) will be. That much is clear from the first real glimpse of this West Gray showcase spot, which has been closed for more than three years.

What’s coming — a movie theater and a performance hall — is going to be fun.

“It makes me proud. It gives me goosebumps and chills,” said Jason Ostrow, vice president of development for Culinary Khancepts. Paper city. “Usually when we build a business, it’s a business. You know what I mean? It’s good. We like it. It makes us money. But this is the first company that people are really interested in.

“So it’s a very different animal than we had before.”

Culinary Khancepts is the Houston-based company led by hometown CEO Omar Khan that is the parent company of Star Cinema (this renovated and reimagined River Oaks Theater will be a Star Cinema). When River Oaks Theater reopens, it will be much more food-focused. And this opening could take place sooner than expected.

“We’re almost there,” says Ostrow Paper city. “But the opening of this one also depends on the opening of the restaurant next door. They must open together. The theater will therefore probably be ready within the next 25 days. And then we’ll just have to wait until the whole project is busy. Ostrow estimates it will only be a matter of months.

Hollywood director Richard Linklater, born and raised in Houston, shows up for this preview, eager to get a glimpse of the cinema renaissance of his childhood.

“I studied film here,” Linklater explains. “The fondest memories of any theater I have been in or will ever have in my entire life were right here. Quite close to the screen. I was here, third row, center, if someone wasn’t already seated there.

Linklater championed the cause of Friends of the River Oaks Theater, the nonprofit organization that fought to save the historic movie palace in a city where so much is being torn down. With this seemingly impossible mission accomplished, the Friends of River Oaks Theater fittingly hosted a A Saturday with Richard Linklater event that included the Houston premiere of Linklater’s new film. Hitman at the CityCentre cinema which Star Cinema recently took over and is also renovating. A gala dinner at Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette (also owned by Culinary Khancepts) rounded off the evening.

For prominent Houstonian and historic preservation advocate Phoebe Tudor, who chaired the gala with her husband Bobby Tudor (former Rice basketball captain and current CEO of Artemis Energy Partners), restoring the River Oaks Theater became a personal cause. The gracious Tudor daughters, Caroline and Margaret, accompanied her on the preview day to also support the cause.

“Houston, unfortunately, has a bad reputation for tearing things down,” says Phoebe Tudor. “Including all the other historic cinemas in town. He’s the only one left. This is why we are here. That’s why we keep it.

Phoebe Tudor’s perseverance is almost legendary to those who know her and she needed it in this fight. His own campaign included personal appeals to Sylvester Turner, the former mayor of Houston, which certainly made an impression.

“When she thinks of something, it usually happens,” Turner says of Phoebe Tudor.

This time, Phoebe Tudor had an entire organization to help the Friends of the River Oaks Theater hold rallies outside the shuttered historic movie theater, refusing to let Weingarten Realty, the former owner of the River Oaks shopping center where the theater is located , come. with any plans that involved tearing it down. Maureen McNamara, co-founder and director of River Oaks Theater, has led many of these efforts with the help of Houston film advocates like Cynthia Neely, Sarah Gish, Kyle Vaughan, Michelle Mower and Patrick Brooks.

In many ways, this core group fought the wrecking ball. And won.

“There were some scary, dark days there,” Linklater recalled.

At one point, Wes Anderson, another Houston director, asked Linklater if they should (or could) buy the River Oaks Theater and operate it themselves. Anderson and Linklater realized that wasn’t realistic and decided to rely on Houstonians like McNamara. Phoebe Turner and ultimately Star Cinema owner Omar Khan to preserve this unique slice of Houston history.

“We’re almost there. But the opening of this one also depends on the opening of the restaurant next door. They have to open together. So the theater will probably be ready in the next 25 days.” — Jason Ostrow, vice president of development at Culinary Khancepts

Inside the New River Oaks Theater

What should moviegoers expect from this reborn River Oaks theater? The main theater downstairs will be equipped with 200 new seats. Large, comfortable seats that actually recline – a big change from the old seats in this movie theater. An example of the seat is already on display, fitted with a gold plaque on the back with Richard Linklater’s name on it. Anyone can get their own name on a seat with a $2,000 donation.

Upstairs, a 50-seat theater awaits you. Either theater can be used to show films or host a performance of some kind. Star Cinema officials believe this versatility – and the connected Leo’s River Oaks restaurant – will allow this unconventional, two-screen theater to succeed in the multiplex era.

“The food at River Oaks Theater will come from Leo’s kitchen,” says Ostrow. Paper city.

A special menu is being designed for the theater which will complement Leo’s regular restaurant menu by restaurant chef Tim Reading. Popcorn from an old popper will not be on the menu. You can actually have a nice meal at this revitalized River Oaks Theater.

“Preserving cultural icons, neighborhoods, historic buildings and historic businesses is important to a city. It is the soul of a city. -Phoebe Tudor

Looking back at this first preview day, everything still seems far away. Without seats, theaters seem more bare than bare. There are still holes in a few walls, construction debris, bare stairs leading to the second level, and lots of dust. Yet Ostrow, the man in charge of this renovation, sees something else. He sees the progress and how close it is.

And how far things have gone.

“You walk into a building that’s almost 90 years old and there are no original plans,” Ostrow says of the uncertain early days of a renovation like no other. “You don’t know which pipes go where. The owner doesn’t know. This has been the biggest challenge. So it took almost two years to find all of this.

“And then evolve again and again based on what you found.”

While Ostrow expects the theater itself to be ready in “25 days,” reopening won’t happen until the restaurant is also ready to open. “I think it takes months,” Ostrow says.

After years of waiting, the champions of River Oaks Theater are more than ready to deliver. This historic place has been saved. All that’s left is to release films again.

“Preserving cultural icons, neighborhoods, historic buildings and historic businesses is important to a city,” says Phoebe Tudor. “It’s the soul of a city.”

The soul of Houston is a little stronger today. The River Oaks Theater is so close to being all the way back.