Word on the street: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema coming to Asheville Mall

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Word on the street is that Sears at the Asheville Mall is being remodeled into an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and other potential new tenants.

This siteplan shows an Alamo Drafthouse in the Sears site at the Asheville Mall. The online plan was tweeted to Ashvegas via @Grocerying.

Back in March 2015, Ashvegas noted rumors of a new movie theater and restaurant moving into the Sears space at the mall.

Sears, faced with fierce competition from brick-and-mortar and online retailers, has been closing some stores and considering leasing out other locations.

The Asheville Mall, which houses about 120 businesses, has seen a few updates in recent years. A couple of years ago, clothier H&M opened there,  the largest store to open in the mall since the Barnes and Noble book store opened there in 2009. New stores continue to come into the mix at the mall, which also recently invested in some renovation work.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema offers dinners, drinks, movies and events all under one roof, according to its website. Alamo touts its beer selection, which highlights local breweries, as well as its gourmet food offerings. It operates about 25 theaters across the country, including New York, San Francisco and soon in Raleigh.

The Raleigh News & Observer reported this week that a new 11-screen Alamo Drafthouse would be opening soon just east of downtown Raleigh and was looking to hire 160 employees.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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9 Comments

  1. Murphy September 15, 2017
    Reply
  2. Weavervilleman September 13, 2017

    Rumor has it that Publix bought the kmart center on Patton.

    Reply
  3. Orbit DVD September 13, 2017

    I wonder if this would be the smallest market Alamo would consider opening in.

    Reply
    1. Big Al September 14, 2017

      I love, Love, LOVE seeing theaters attached to malls making a comeback. It takes me back to the 80s when malls were worth going to. Stores sold things other than just clothes, which combined with eateries and theaters to make for a great evening out at one location, especially of the weather was bad.

      Reply
      1. KLLA September 15, 2017

        Yes! Malls need anchors (like a movie theater), especially at that end of the Asheville Mall, which gets a little desolate and creepy. The only reason I went to a mall growing up was to see a movie – but people seeing movies usually have time to kill perusing other stores and definitely are up for grabbing a bite to eat, too. Alamo has a lot of street cred and will be super popular in Asheville, so this is a win-win-win for all parties involved. Plus, Beaucatcher cinema just got torn down, so there’s a market. I’d argue that West Asheville and Weaverville both need movie theaters, too. And no one will miss Sears.

        Reply
        1. Big Al September 15, 2017

          While I would welcome it, where in West Asheville could a movie theater fit? The Cinnebarre was somewhat nearby, being connected by Brevard Road/Hwy 191, and it could not afford to stay as part of the rebuild of Biltmore Square Mall. Also, with the opening of the Grail and the coming of the Alamo, Asheville is a little bit oversaturated with theaters (half of whom I tend to avoid like the plague).

          Reply
      2. KLLA September 15, 2017

        The Asheville Mall needs a good anchor on that end and a movie theater is perfect for that (I only went to a mall as a teenager to go see a movie, then you end up wandering around buying other things and eating dinner somewhere). Alamo has tremendous street cred and will do really well in the Asheville market. There is demand – especially with Beaucatcher gone.

        Reply
  4. Tiger September 12, 2017

    The development of Sears #1185 and Sears Auto Center #6035 could be an indicator Sears Holdings could be exiting Buncombe County. I doubt Kmart stores 3886, The Shops at Biltmore Square, 980 Brevard Road, Asheville, North Carolina 28806-2259; and 4112, 1001 Patton Avenue, Asheville, North Carolina 28806-3603, will be open in the future.

    Reply
    1. Weavervilleman September 13, 2017

      Rumor has it that Publix bought the kmart center on Patton.

      Reply

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