UPDATE: Alamo Drafthouse Richardson has moved up the opening date by a week. It is now August 9, with a soft opening featuring half-price food and $2 tickets August 6-8. The story has been updated to reflect those changes.
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It's been a long wait for Dallas-area movie lovers, but a new movie-watching experience is almost here: The newest Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson officially opens to the public on August 9.
It may have seemed like an eternity, but the arrival of the Austin-based brand has only taken a little more than a year. The Richardson City Council approved the theater's proposal to take over an old Pep Boys location in May 2012, and ground was officially broken on October 23.
Along the way, the theater's owners have done a variety of things to stoke the fires of anticipation, including holding an outdoor screening of The Burbs last November in the parking lot next to the under-construction theater, and a screening of Wayne's World at the recent Wildflower Arts and Music Festival.
They continue in that vein in July with three more outdoor screenings in the parking lot: Dazed and Confused on July 13, The Lost Boys on July 20 and The Goonies on July 27.
If you're sensing a theme, that's because paying homage pop culture classics is one of Alamo's mantras. As anyone who's been to any of the other locations can attest, the chain takes movie-going very seriously, but it also brings out as much fun as it can.
Some of the ways Alamo ensures an ideal experience include creating custom pre-movie shows instead of bombarding you with ads; eliminating the dreaded front row from all auditoriums, so no one will have to strain their necks to watch a movie; and, most famously, having a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to cell phone usage.
Alamo Drafthouse, as you would expect with the name, also prides itself on delivering quality beer, so expect the in-house bar to feature a slew of local craft brews.
In less than three months, all of this will become a reality. The only question now is, can we wait that long?
Rendering of the soon-to-be completed Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson, which opens August 16.
Cowboys fans were out in full force.Photo by Ashley Gongora
Tailgating is all about the food.Photo by Ashley Gongora
An array of beverages ensured guests had fun all night.Photo by Ashley Gongora
Buffalo shrimp and blue cheese grits from McRae's American Bistro & Cocktails won the best dish of the night.Photo by Ashley Gongora
The silent auction inspired competitive bidding.Photo by Ashley Gongora