| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment (movie theatres) |
| Founded | Grand Rapids, Michigan (1930) |
| Headquarters | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Key people | William Goodrich, Founder Bob Goodrich, President/Owner |
| Website | www.gqti.com |
Goodrich Quality Theaters, Inc., or GQTI, is a chain of 30 movie theaters, headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, representing a total of approximately 270 screens in the United States. The majority of Goodrich theaters are located in Michigan, but other locations can be found in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.
The first IMAX screens operated by Goodrich Quality Theaters were unveiled in early 2007. After undergoing renovations, the Randall 15 IMAX in Batavia, Illinois now features an IMAX screen, as does the Portage 16 IMAX in Portage, Indiana. The Hamilton 16 IMAX in Noblesville, IN, which opened in March 2008, is the third Goodrich theater with an IMAX screen. The Hamilton 16 IMAX and the Portage 16 IMAX are the only theaters to feature digital projectors for all of their screens; however, many of the larger Goodrich theaters feature at least one digital screen to equip Real D 3D projection.
Goodrich also owns and operates AM 1680 WPRR Public Reality Radio in Grand Rapids, MI.
Contents |
The origins of Goodrich Quality Theaters can be traced to 1930, when William Goodrich left his family's rubber manufacturing business in order to purchase the Savoy Theatre in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Previously, the Savoy Theatre had been a vaudeville theater; Goodrich renovated it as a single-screen movie theater and opened it in 1931 with "All Quiet on the Western Front". Business at the theater prospered, largely due to Goodrich's cheap double features. For just 15 cents, patrons could watch the high-budget main feature, followed by a less-glamorous B-movie. By comparison, the average price for a movie ticket nationwide hovered between 23 and 25 cents during the 1930s.
The Savoy was later converted into a two-screen theater and finally shut down in 1979. William Goodrich also operated the Majestic Theatre in Grand Rapids, which was later sold and currently exists as the Meijer Majestic Theatre, owned by the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
Control of the company was handed down to William's son, Bob Goodrich, who still heads Goodrich Quality Theaters. Bob Goodrich extensively expanded the company, founding new multiplexes and drive-ins around Michigan. Although Goodrich no longer owns any drive-in theaters, some of the "original" multiplex theaters are still in operation. Of course, many have since been expanded, and all have undergone technological renovations (such as the addition of digital sound).
Bob Goodrich eventually began expanding his business outside Michigan, establishing theaters in nearby states. Perhaps due to a high amount of competition in Michigan, in the past few years, Goodrich Quality Theaters has focused on renovating and building theaters outside of its home state.
Goodrich theaters are located in small- to mid-sized cities, often on the outskirts of these cities. All locations are multiplex theaters, ranging from 4 to 16 screens apiece.
The traditional Goodrich theater features muted colors and a simple, unremarkable design. However, the recently-constructed Portage 16 IMAX theater breaks this tradition by utilizing bright colors and a sleek, modern design. Theaters currently in development have been designed to implement this new style.
Despite the recent trend of an increasing variety of foods sold in movie theater concession stands, Goodrich offers little more than traditional movie theater snacks. Typical concession items include popcorn, soda, candy, nachos, and slush drinks. Recently, some theaters began offering personal pan pizzas as a food option, as well as hot dogs and pretzels.
Goodrich offers incentives for repeat visits, such as a Frequent Movie Goer Card program that allows a customer to redeem free concession items after earning a certain number of points from ticket purchases. They have also implemented a $25 coupon book which has 12 coupons, each for a large popcorn. This is a 60% discount from normal price and these are good through the year 2011.
Kernal Korn is a popular promotional figure for the company, with an inflatable figure of the anthropomorphized tub of popcorn on display at most theater locations.
Goodrich "staffers" (who perform duties such as operating cash registers and cleaning theaters between shows) are all part-time and primarily consist of high school and college students. A new employee usually begins as an usher or ticket-tearer and over time progresses to working the concession stand and box office. Staffers who are 18 or older may be trained to operate the movie projectors and prepare films for exhibition.
Theater managers usually start out as staffers and are promoted, not directly hired as managers. Area managers are responsible for all theaters in their designated area. Goodrich Quality Theaters currently has three Area Manager offices. They are located at major theaters throughout GQTI: Quality 16, Ann Arbor, MI; Kalamazoo 10, Kalamazoo, MI; and Savoy 16, Savoy, IL. Area managers, in turn, report to the Goodrich "home office" (headquarters) in Grand Rapids, MI.
The content and deployment of the preshow playing on all screens is handled by National CineMedia, or NCM. The show, dubbed the "FirstLook," features advertisements for local establishments, nationwide ad campaigns (including movie trailers), and content created by Goodrich Quality Theaters. The show generally runs between 15 and 25 minutes and is timed to end exactly when the movie is scheduled to begin. NCM also handles the advertising content played on flat-screen TVs located in the lobbies of Goodrich theaters.
Digital Talking Screen Media, or DTSM, is no longer operational. All preshow content on all screens is handled by National CineMedia. DTSM, a Goodrich-owned affiliate, was originally created to handle the preshow for all of Goodrich's screens. However, the need for DTSM has now been completely eliminated following Goodrich's contract with NCM, signed in mid-2007.