How they’re going to turn the single-screen New Mission Theater into a five-screen Alamo Drafthouse mini-multiplex

This is what I’ve been wondering about since the project’s announcement. See for yourself — main screen downstairs, four little screens upstairs, no balcony (sad face):

As for the rest of the scene at Thursday night’s community meeting, you got a free bacon-wrapped hot dog for attending, it was fun being inside the dilapidated old place, and it was decently attended:

We got to hear some stories about the old days, when popcorn cost 25¢ and a hot dog cost 75¢ (and I was like, “Big whoop my hot dog tonight was FREE”), and then they spent 20 minutes assuring us this project will be good for the Latino community.

Anyway, I can’t wait to go to the movies on Mission Street!!!!!!!

51 Responses to “How they’re going to turn the single-screen New Mission Theater into a five-screen Alamo Drafthouse mini-multiplex”

  1. Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

    Was definitely a good meeting, and I loved seeing the inside of that amazing building. A shame about the vandalism, but such is life.

    The theatre restoration project is very exciting, and I really hope it pans out.

  2. hopefully this will be finished in time for me to see prometheus there

  3. Question says:

    Tons of boutique theaters have gone out of business in SF. The mission already has Roxie, Victoria and a bunch of small screen venues like ATA. Why is this theater a good idea? After the initial buzz, will there really be enough business?

    • Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

      It also fills a niche that is not currently filled anywhere in the city. That is, a combo cinema/bar/restaurant, with table-service in the theatre, etc. Inexpensive and socially conscious, they really seem like they want to work with and support the community, etc. This is all terrific, though for me the main goal is to get the physical theatre itself restored.

      • Olu says:

        Doesn’t the Kabuki do the drinks /food/ hollywood film thing?

        I don’t really have an opinion w/r/t them opening an outpost in the Mission – we’re at least as cool as Winchester, VA after all.

        I’ll wait ’till it actually opens and judge it then but this gives me pause:

        “Pull out your cell phone and openly mock the movie you’re watching with texts that show up on the screen at HeckleVision. Or just enjoy slumber party classics like Dirty Dancing or Clueless back up on the big screen in an auditorium filled with like-minded fans at our monthly Girlie Night presentations.”

        • MrEricSir says:

          The Kabuki does have food and alcohol, BUT ONLY in the balcony of the large cinema.

          More importantly though, you have to take the 22, which means you’ll get there in time to catch the credits.

        • Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

          The HeckleVision/GirlieNight things are special occasions. Generally speaking, Alamo Drafthouse is well known for pretty much the strictest no-talking/no-cellphones policy out there.

    • D. Jon Moutarde says:

      None of the places you mention is similar to this proposal, aside from the fact that they all include movie screening. Will there be enough entertainment bucks to go around for everyone? Probably not, but this would be a classic case of the market deciding, unless you have a few million to put up to support your favorite. Backing the Roxie didn’t work out so well for the New College of California, if memory serves.

      • The Knee says:

        New College went under on its own, don’t think it had anything directly to do with the Roxie. Plus since those days, the Roxie has become a non-profit so its whole structure would presumably be different not only than it was then, but also different than all of the other fine local film establishments listed above.

      • Deicide says:

        Hey DJ, play your record.

    • Jonathan Mayer says:

      As much as I love the Roxie, it’s a really badly mismanaged theater. They have a long history of ripping off indie film producers, which probably limits their opportunities to bring a better tier of indie films to the screen.

      Alamo Drafthouse didn’t just run a theater in Austin, they built a community around it. I remember going there for live projections of things like the Presidential Debates, and the theaters were packed. I have faith they’ll bring something good to the Mission.

  4. mazzy says:

    There is a big need for a theater like this in the heart of the Mission.One of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city. Victoria really isn’t a move house and the Roxie is limited in size and what they can pull in. There are plenty of small theaters still around in other neighborhoods

    • GG says:

      Exactly. And I am rarely interested enough in seeing a movie to haul ass all the way to the hard-to-get-to Kabuki. I live in Glen Park and the only local, transit-accessible option for mainstream movies is the West Portal theater, and that’s pretty small. Sometimes we’ll go to the Metreon, or drive to Daly City, neither of which are particularly palatable. I’ll definitely be spending my entertainment dollars at the new theater.

  5. Ron says:

    This is fantastic! It is remarkable how much change is happening in the neighborhood.

  6. moi says:

    Are they going to put in parking as well? because otherwise nobody is going to be find parking in the mission for 1 movie screen…let alone 5…

    • maharba says:

      Oh god, no car parking PLEASE! Look at Valencia Street and tell me you want more cars driving down the neighborhood streets. There will never be enough car parking for everybody (bike parking, yes please).

      There are plenty of bus lines as well as BART close by, and as someone else said here, this is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city.

      Don’t bring your car to the Mission, please.

    • suckerpunch says:

      Anyone who DRIVES to the Mission is probably an asshole. Super lazy, at the very least.

      • wizzer says:

        No, they probably are not.

        What if they live, say, in Daly City, handicapped, and want to come into the Mission to spend money on a nice dinner?

        That make them an asshole? huh?

      • Ryan Platt says:

        oh god, you make me want to go drive around in my car right now. Stop stuffing your shitty outlook down my throat.

        • suckerpunch says:

          I wasn’t talking to you. Ever. So I am not stuffing anything anywhere.

          • Ryan Platt says:

            I dunno big softie, you’re definitely stuffing something somewhere. Avatar you kidding me?

        • maharba says:

          Stop stuffing your exhaust down my throat. Driving a car is the most selfish thing you can do.

          • Ryan Platt says:

            Totally true, lets end all use of cars. I can’t understand how cars even exist, what with the advent of bikes and bike lanes. It’s like seriously a mystery to me

            C’mon people let’s do this, NO CARS IN THE WORLD ANYWHERE BY 2013.

            SMH, fucking bicycles Zzzz Zzzz Zzzz

          • scum says:

            Growing food and breeding animals for food is bad for the environment.

          • Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

            Wait, is that you?! Stop sucking up all my exhaust, you selfish bastard.

          • D. Jon Moutarde says:

            Shaddup! Need exhaust to euthanize my MEAT!

      • Tesco Vee says:

        I’ll drive my rickshaw right up your ho chi min trail.

  7. No Where But Up says:

    Go check out the other Alamo locations and see what they are playing. Its mainstream crap mostly. Adam Sandler. More mainstream crap for the new mainstream crap Mission.

    • MrEricSir says:

      Pretty sure it should be illegal to see a Sandler film in a theater that *doesn’t* serve alcohol.

    • SFdoggy says:

      Sometimes mainstream crap is what one wants to watch. If the big screen has mainstream stuff on it and the small screens are more artsy and that means there is a clean comfortable theater (not the Roxie, obviously) within walking distance then I am all for it.

      • Deicide says:

        There’s plenty of art-wanker fare available for the film school dropouts. I hope they serve Budweiser.

  8. Old Mission Neighbor says:

    +1 for Sandler!

  9. Save it says:

    I really love the comments that folks leave on this website.

  10. Deicide says:

    “Website”? keep trolling!

  11. Gena Lynn Luna says:

    Please give me the feed back about the New Mission theater.
    When is your next meeting to let me now about it
    regarding this issue ok
    Thank you to bring back as New Theater into a five
    screen it is good idea

  12. Silly Nilly says:

    Shut the fuck up. You guys are fuckig stupid. Really? “will help the Latino community in the mission”. You can shove that up your ass. Has anyone been to the mission lately? Have any of you idiots been to an Alamo?
    They play dope movies, some are mainstream but who gives a shit. Stop being so pretentious. if anything it could create a lot of jobs for those Latinos.
    Stay at home and listen to your records