New York movie lovers, fond of Gotham’s art houses, will soon get a film experience that rivals that in LA’s private screening rooms.
IPic, a chain of luxe theaters with seats and food and drink service comparable to those of first-class airlines, has signed a deal for a 40,000 square-foot location at the South Street Seaport, as first reported on nypost.com.
The complex, at 11 Fulton St. in the Fulton Marketplace, is set to open in mid-2015.
Seeing a movie at the 505-seat, eight-auditorium iPic theaters will cost $14 to $28 person, depending on the night of the week and the level of service.
The lease, signed by Seaport operator Howard Hughes Corp., is part of its new marketing initiative to draw more New Yorkers to the downtown hub.
Started in Milwaukee six years ago, the fast-growing high-end movie theater concept now has eight locations scattered across the country, and will have doubled in size when it bows in the Big Apple.
“IPic takes a commodity experience and turns it into an extraordinary night out by providing services and amenities that are not typically found in a movie theater but are what you would expect out of a five-star hotel,” said Hamid Hashemi, president and chief executive of the Boca Raton-based company.
“Everything is being specially designed so that waiters can serve theatergoers without interrupting anyone’s entertainment experience,’’ Hashemi said.
To this end, there will be an aisle between every two chairs and personal service call buttons at each seat. The menu will feature such offering as filet mignon sliders, Thai coconut shrimp and grilled lemon chicken satay.
Lower-priced tickets will offer express food from a counter with no waiter service.