After a famous run, the Alamo Drafthouse is moving from its original location. But fear not – it’s departing the snooty, unappreciative environs of the Warehouse District for Sixth Street’s Ritz, itself a former theatre.
The news was something of a coup for the local blogosphere, as Metroblogging Austin reported the news after it was announced on the Alamo’s blog, then rescinded. (Apparently, it was posted a little early, in error. But now it’s back up.) Says Alamo co-founder Tim League:
“For the last 10 years, we have also seen the warehouse district grow up around us. As the neighborhood has become more and more upscale, we’ve seen many long-time businesses fall away: The Bitter End, Gilligans, Waterloo Brewing Co, and Ruta Maya to name just a few. At the end of June, 2007, our lease will expire and due to the high costs of rent, insurance and taxes, we have been not been confident that we would be able to continue occupying our current space. With the end of our lease looming, the Downtown Austin Alliance stepped in quickly and brought us together with the owners of the Ritz Theater on 6th Street. In a matter of weeks, we shook hands on a deal and are now moving full-steam ahead with planning for the next decade of Alamo Drafthouse Downtown programming: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at the Ritz.”
The move is in line with recent calls by City Council to diversify Sixth Street’s businesses. They recently approved a business relocation fund for businesses leaving or coming there. The Ritz, once a popular watering hole for slackers, hipsters, and bicyclists, had a much publicized changing-of-the-guard last year, which ran out several old patrons as they tried to cater to a more upscale clientele.
League hopes to have the two-screen theatre up by the end of summer.
This article appears in March 16 • 2007.