Manassas Cinemas is out, Manassas 4 Cinemas is in.
The 8890 Mathis Ave. site lost Manassas Cinemas nearly one year ago when it closed. On May 20, a newly renovated and refurbished movie theater, Manassas 4 Cinemas, reopened at the same location under new owner Kiran (Bunny) Khorana, a native of Mumbai, India and Centreville resident.
Khorana was raised by his brother-in-law, a Bollywood actor, producer and director. Khorana, who also has been involved in the North American T-shirt business for 22 years, opened a theater in 2005 in Temple Mills, Md., and saw an opportunity to open a second theater. Khorana signed the lease in January and hired a staff of 15 workers within four months.
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“People told me the place was a mess,” Khorana said. “When I bought it, the place was a mess. The projectors were broken and all over the floor.”
Now, one month since the theater opened, the reviews are in.
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“The community has given us a warm welcome, people congratulate us,” Khorana said. “I don't sleep at night because I look forward to coming back every day.”
Like the original, the new complex has four theaters, all showing first-run major Hollywood films. The interior remains vastly the same: three theaters with traditional-style seating and a cafe theater with sofas, bean bags and tables and chairs. The Hollyworld Cafe, offering customers food and drinks, also remains.
Before 5:00 p.m., adults pay $7.00 for a ticket, children aged 2-12 pay $6.50 and seniors (60+) also pay $6.50. After 5:00 p.m., adults pay $9.00, children pay $6.50 and seniors pay $7.00.
I visited Manassas 4 Cinemas and watched a matinee showing of “Super 8,” the J.J. Abrams-directed science-fiction film.
I came away impressed by what Khorana has done to the theater. I used to go to the theater all the time as a child, until it aged and deteriorated. The theater has returned to the way I remember it and brings back happy memories of watching movies there.
While the choice of movies may be limited compared to larger theaters, the ticket prices are what may be the biggest draw. During the summer months, parents can take advantage of early showings and save quite a few bucks on tickets.
