
The only Alamo Drafthouse in Houston is just one highway exit down the road (which in Texas is considered across the street). And many of these chains have locations within spitting distance of the new Star Cinema Grill, which will eventually be a part of District West, a 100 acre upscale mixed use development. Sure, the theatre may have the largest Samsung Onyx screen in North America and a Dolby Atmos auditorium, but its dine-in concept hardly make it unique in a place like Texas, a state that launched such dine-in circuits as Alamo Drafthouse, Flix Brewhouse, Movie Tavern (now owned by Marcus Theatres), and Studio Movie Grill. On paper, the Star Cinema Grill’s 12-screen Richmond location, which opened in June of this year, might hardly stand out from some other cinemas in Houston. If it weren’t for the signage hanging on the front, one would never suspect a technologically advanced multiplex could be found through its glass entryway. Given the sparse surroundings it’s easy to assume the structure is a warehouse or big box store. The asphalt of the building’s generously sized parking lot is all that breaks up the green grassy pasture and adjacent watershed. In Richmond, Texas, a suburb 30 miles (48 kilometres) southwest of Houston, at the intersection of the Westpark Tollway and State Highway 99, a windowless three story building rises up out of an expansive open field. CJ would like to thank everyone at Vista for partnering with CJ to showcase some of the most interesting, innovative and inspiring cinemas from around the world. We won’t just be featuring cinemas whose operators use Vista, but we will surely mention when that is the case.

Vista is the world’s leading cinema management software solutions company. Celluloid Junkie is proud to have partnered with Vista Cinema for the Cinema of the Month series.
