South Barrington movie theater to reopen under different operator
A recently closed South Barrington movie house that offered dining service will reopen this year under new management.
The former iPic Theaters at 100 W. Higgins Road, in the Arboretum of South Barrington, has been taken over by Star Cinema Grill.
A similarly shuttered iPic Theaters in Bolingbrook will become a Star Cinema Grill, too.
Star Cinema Grill, which is based in Houston, is taking over the leases of both theaters. They shut down in late December.
Star Cinema Grill expects to reopen both theaters by the end of March.
"We are so excited to add two more fantastic theaters to our chain," Jason Ostrow, Star Cinema's vice president of development, said in a news release. "These former iPics are a great brand fit and we look forward to getting both locations back open as quickly as possible."
Facility and menu changes are coming, according to the release.
All auditoriums will be equipped with new recliner seats, and all seats will be eligible for food and beverage service, not just premium sections.
The theaters also will have pod seating that includes privacy walls, blankets and priority food and beverage service, according to the news release.
Star Cinema Grill operates nine cinemas in Illinois and Texas, including the Hollywood Palm Cinema in Naperville.
Florida-based iPic Entertainment filed for bankruptcy in 2019. It operated 16 theaters nationwide.