Alamos Drafthouse has laid off 15 corporate staffers as well as a significantly larger number of hourly employees across its circuit, effective immediately.
The corporate layoffs rep about 9% of the total focusing on support center and technical engineers to streamline the business, a person familiar with the situation told Deadline. The hit to hourly cinema workers is normal course of business when moviegoing slows after the holiday rush, the person said. Staffers are let go with the ability to be re-hired when things pick up.
It’s the first round of layoffs since Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired the chain in June.
Workers at the circuit’s handful of unionized locations including Brooklyn and lower Manhattan were told of layoffs planned as of Feb. 1, but that would be subject to bargaining.
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The dine-in chain, which is now up to 44 theaters, is private so doesn’t report financials but since emerging from bankruptcy post-Covid it’s become among the hottest places to see films drawing young crowds to a mix of big studio release, arthouse and repertory fare.
Sony acquired Alamo Drafthouse from owners Altamont Capital Partners, Fortress Investment Group and founder Tim League for a price tag of about $200 million. It’s part of a new SPE division called Sony Pictures Experiences. Both the chain and the division are led by Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann.
The Austin, Texas-based chain also owns Fantastic Fest. It’s completed key upgrades and added new locations under Sony.