Downtown Kansas City is now without a first-run movie theater, after B&B Theatres announced this weekend that it shut down its location in Power and Light, in the historic Main Street theater.
B&B, which is based in Liberty, operated the theater at 1400 Main St. since spring 2021, taking over shortly after the previous operator, Alamo Drafthouse, left the space that same year. As part of its acquisition of the historic theater, B&B Theatres renovated the six-screen theater to include heated recliners, a wall-to-wall screen and Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grill downstairs.
Still, it wasn’t enough to keep the business afloat.
In a statement, B&B said it “routinely reviews the theatres in our circuit and makes decisions based on what will best strengthen the Company going forward.”
“After thoughtful review, we have made the decision to exit this location,” B&B said, adding that the company is grateful to patrons for their loyalty and support.
The B&B's closure follows the shuttering of other theaters in the city's core over the past decade, including the Cinemark on the Country Club Plaza, which remains closed, and the Tivoli Cinemas in Westport.
Downtown resident Justin Short frequently saw movies at the B&B on Main Street, including big releases like “Wicked” and “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” The theater was within walking distance for Short.
“Losing a popular downtown amenity like a movie theater, particularly one in a historic building, is always really frustrating to see,” Short said. “The convenience of being able to watch first-run films in such an iconic location is always so enticing to folks like myself.”
Short said the closure is also a loss for people who ride the Kansas City streetcar, since the theater is right off its Power and Light stop.
Short said the next operator of the building should understand the moviegoing experience that people who live downtown look for, including a full-service restaurant and bar. He also said the space needs improvement, citing out-of-order bathrooms as an example.
“It was just kind of dirty, and you can see that it was not well kept,” Short said. “And those are things that I hope that the next operator understands: that those things do return investment, they do bring people back to the theater.”
Originally built in 1921, the theater on Main Street was formerly known as the Empire Theater. Real estate developer The Cordish Companies, which still owns the building, renovated it as part of its plans to revive downtown Kansas City. National movie theater chain AMC Theatres, which has its headquarters in Leawood, reopened the theater in 2009 before Alamo Drafthouse took over in 2012.
Adam Roberts, who owns the Screenland Armour Theatre in North Kansas City, said it was difficult for a movie theater to succeed downtown.
“Prior to them, there was two other chain theaters in there, and they both closed for the same reasons, which is financial,” Roberts said. “It just didn't make sense. The business wasn't there.”
Roberts pointed out that three major theater chains — AMC, Alamo Drafthouse and now B&B Theatres — did not turn that location around.
“Seeing them close is just kind of the norm, unfortunately, for movie theaters these days,” he said. “More theaters every year close than open.”
Roberts said the closure of the B&B downtown could push moviegoers to other locations in the metro, including the Screenland Armour, which is a 9-minute drive away from 1400 Main St.
He said while major movie theater chains, like AMC, are struggling; the Screenland Armour’s business is on the upswing. He attributes that increase to more people looking for an analog experience. He said more people are looking to find “community over convenience.”
“The thing we hear the most from our audience is they come to the theaters to find their community and find like-minded people,” Roberts said. “That doesn't mean talking or texting during a movie. People come here because they really love the movie experience.”
