Monday, December 31, 2018

[ACTION!] NCG Cinemas to Open New Theater at Northeast Plaza in Brookhaven

NCG Cinemas plans to open a new movie theater in Brookhaven's Northeast Plaza in 2019.  The "new" theater will actually occupy a space previously home to a 12 screen theater, but the suite was later a dance hall before sitting vacant for the past several years.  Specifically, NCG will occupy suite 10, a 32,334 square foot space.

Neighborhood Cinema Group, branded as NCG Cinemas, is a movie theater chain headquartered in Owosso, Michigan, that today operates twenty three multiplexes across eight states.  Georgia, with six NCG locations, is the chain's second largest market after its home state of Michigan with ten locations.

In Georgia, NCG operates theaters in Acworth, Marietta, Peachtree Corners, Peachtree City, Snellville and Stone Mountain.  The theaters in Acworth and Peachtree City were built new for NCG, whereas the others in metro Atlanta were converted from previous local and chain operators.

According to Cinema Treasures, a website that chronicles current and former theaters nationwide, "Northeast Plaza Cinema" was "built by the O'Neil Theatre Company in a space formerly occupied by retail stores."  The theater was a second run operation from its inception on October 12, 1990 until its closure in 1999.

Northeast Plaza, today owned by New York based Brixmor Property Group, has nowhere near the number of popular chain stores it once had.  Publix, Big Lots, Drug Emporium, JCPenney, Mars Music, Movie Gallery and  Paper Parlour are long gone, replaced in most cases by lesser known local or regional shops and restaurants.  
Former box office 

Today the major attractions in the center are City Farmers Market, Goodwill, dd's Discounts and Fun Bowl, a local bowling alley.  A former freestanding nightclub was demolished last year and replaced earlier this year by a new, larger relocated QuikTrip.  Pizza Hut continues to operate a freestanding restaurant in an out-parcel of the center too, one of the last remaining restaurants to continue to operate in their original "hut" form.

Northeast Plaza has attracted a number of local entrepreneurs, among them fitness guru Desiree Nathanson, who opened Interfusion Fitness in late 2016, and popular Bangladeshi cuisine restaurant Panahar.

When the former theater at Northeast Plaza closed in 1999, it was due at least in part to the increased competition from what was then the newly opened Regal Cinemas Hollywood 24, just over two miles away.  The onetime Twelve Oaks Theatre at Buford Clairmont Mall (Plaza Fiesta) began life as a single Loews Gone With the Wind-themed theater, later was twinned (1975), was split again to get four screens (1989), also closed in 1999.  The former theater space is today occupied by The Mansion Elan, a nightclub.  

Now, nearly twenty years later, Regal itself could be the one facing the competition of a new offering nearby.

ToNeTo Atlanta's founder worked for Regal Hollywood 24 for about two years in the mid 2000s, a time of tremendous success for the theater.  Following the opening of Regal's Atlantic Station theater in late 2005, business began to wane at Hollywood.  Other developments such as CineBistro at TOWN Brookhaven and a complete renovation at AMC's Phipps Plaza theater further eroded Hollywood's business.

Hollywood 24 still does well, but is nowhere near the powerhouse it once was and the opening of NCG will likely pull even more of the large Hispanic population away from it and to Northeast Plaza.

The site-plan for Northeast Plaza has been updated to reflect NCG as the occupant of the theater space, but does not specify the number of screens or the expected opening.  

Click to enlarge 

That said, sources close to the center and to the theater company indicate it will resume operations as a 12 screen theater and that the plan is for it to open in late 2019, likely hoping to capitalize on holiday 2019 movie releases.

Are you excited for the return of a first-run movie theater to Northeast Plaza?  Have you ever been to an NCG Cinemas?  What is your favorite movie theater in metro Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Atlanta Peach which was in this space attracted some big name latin performers.

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see how the theater does at Northeast Plaza. My favorite theater is Hollywood 24. I would have never thought Atlantic Station Theater would have taken some of their business. Hollywood 24 is definitely not as busy as it used to be. I think it is a very nice theater though. Love all the history of the places you included in the article.

J said...

I go to the NCG Peachtree Corners alll the time. Love the $6 matinee tickets and reclining seats. Hope this one does well!

Anonymous said...

Love NCG @ Peachtree Corners. I am super excited to have this come to Northeast Plaza (much closer to home). They have great ticket and concession prices.

Disneypal said...

I am so glad to hear this. I was disappointed when the theater closed there many years ago because I used to go there all the time! I like the location of Hollywood 24 but their prices tend to keep me away. My favorite theater is the Movie Tavern at Northlake because it is smaller and reasonably priced and always has a great selection of movies.

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