There’s now a ‘coming soon’ sign at the former Warren Old Town, but what’s soon?

There’s now a “coming soon” sign on the former Warren Old Town theater, but what does soon mean?

As Have You Heard? previously reported, Boulevard Theatres owners Tyler Cooper and Ryan Blasdel and some silent investors are taking over the former Warren Old Town, which Regal Cinemas closed in 2023.

Cooper previously said he’d expected to open in November, though he never set a date.

He’s not saying much now, but he did text, “We are very excited to get this first phase of the remodel open and welcome moviegoers to our new location, which we are intending to be in the very near future.”

So what’s the holdup?

“Going through the necessary steps with the city is just taking a longer than expected,” Cooper said in his text.

It sounds like all the things that normally delay a business opening are at play, meaning getting necessary parts and working on permitting, etc.

Once the theater does open, it will be mostly a first-run cinema, though it’ll have a little more character, as Cooper previously said.

That includes independent releases and film festivals with cult favorites along with some limited-release films.

Like in the past, there will be concessions, including full meals. However, there won’t be waiters to take in-theater orders.

Customers will use an app to order from their seats, and then their food will be delivered. There also will be alcohol, though Cooper hasn’t announced what kind yet.

Have You Heard? first reported the new theater was a possibility in January — so almost a year ago.

In September, Cooper said it had been taking longer than expected both to get the deal done for the new theater and to go through the construction and permitting process.

He said it “took a lot of time to plan and get right” in part because “the place was struggling for maintenance.”

The theater, which Wichitan Bill Warren owned before selling his chain to Regal in 2017, opened in Old Town in 2003.

Look for opening news as soon as Cooper is ready along with a sneak peek of the renovated space.

This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 12:41 PM.