Goodrich Quality Theaters
Encyclopedia
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.
. 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 feature
s. 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 multiplex
es 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.
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 stand
s, 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 pizza
s 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.
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.
, 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.
Projection screen
A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed, as in a movie theater; painted on the wall; or semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The majority of Goodrich theaters are located in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, but other locations can be found in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
The first IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screens operated by Goodrich Quality Theaters were unveiled in early 2007. After undergoing renovations, the Randall 15 IMAX in Batavia, Illinois
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
now features an IMAX screen, as does the Portage 16 IMAX in Portage, Indiana
Portage, Indiana
Portage is a city in Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 36,828 as of the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Porter County, and third largest in Northwest Indiana.-Geography:...
. 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
Real D Cinema
RealD Cinema is a digital stereoscopic projection technology made and sold by RealD Inc. It is currently the most widely used technology for watching 3-D films in theatres.-Technology:...
3D projection
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
.
Goodrich also owns and operates AM 1680 WPRR Public Reality Radio in Grand Rapids, MI.
History
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, MichiganGrand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. Previously, the Savoy Theatre had been a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
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 feature
Double feature
The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.The double feature, also known as...
s. For just 15 cents, patrons could watch the high-budget main feature, followed by a less-glamorous B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
. 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 multiplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
es and drive-ins
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
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
Digital audio
Digital audio is sound reproduction using pulse-code modulation and digital signals. Digital audio systems include analog-to-digital conversion , digital-to-analog conversion , digital storage, processing and transmission components...
).
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.
The Theaters
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 stand
Concession stand
A concession stand , snack kiosk or snack bar is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties...
s, Goodrich offers little more than traditional movie theater snacks. Typical concession items include popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
, soda
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
, candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
, nachos
Nachos
Nachos are a popular food based on nixtamalized corn, of Mexican origin associated with Tex-Mex cuisine that can be either made quickly to serve as a snack or prepared with more ingredients to make a full meal. In their simplest form, nachos are tortilla chips or totopos covered in melted cheese...
, and slush drinks
Slush (beverage)
A slush is a flavored frozen drink.There are a number of different kinds of slush drinks:* Frozen carbonated beverages, typified by the Slurpee or ICEE, are made by freezing a carbonated drink. These machines are complicated and expensive, and notably require a carbon dioxide supply...
. Recently, some theaters began offering personal pan pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
s 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
Ticket (admission)
A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
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
Kernal Korn
Kernal Korn is a promotional character for Goodrich Quality Theaters, a Midwestern United States theater chain. He is also regarded as the unofficial mascot of Goodrich Quality Theaters, due to the presence of an inflatable figure of Kernal Korn at every Goodrich theater. Kernal Korn is an...
is a popular promotional figure for the company, with an inflatable
Inflatable
An inflatable is an object that can be inflated with a gas, usually with air, but hydrogen, helium and nitrogen are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflatables depend on the presence of a gas to maintain their...
figure of the anthropomorphized
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
tub of popcorn on display at most theater locations.
The Employees
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.
Preshow
The content and deployment of the preshow playing on all screens is handled by National CineMediaNational CineMedia
National CineMedia operates NCM Media Networks, an integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology...
, or NCM. The show, dubbed the "FirstLook," features advertisements for local establishments, nationwide ad campaigns (including movie trailers
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
), 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
National CineMedia
National CineMedia operates NCM Media Networks, an integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology...
. 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.
Michigan
- Ada LowellLowell, MichiganLowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
5 - Bay CityBay City, MichiganBay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
8 - CadillacCadillac, MichiganCadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
5 - Canton Cinema
- Grand HavenGrand Haven, MichiganGrand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...
9 - HastingsHastings, MichiganHastings is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the county seat of Barry County as well as the county's only city. The population was 7,095 at the 2000 census. The city borders Hastings Charter Township on the north, east, and south, and Rutland Charter Township on the west...
4 - HollandHolland, MichiganHolland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
7 - JacksonJackson, MichiganJackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
10 - KalamazooKalamazoo, MichiganThe area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
10 - Krafft 8 (Port HuronPort Huron, MichiganPort Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
) - LansingLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
Mall Cinema - OxfordOxford, MichiganOxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township. The village occupies one square mile and is both politically and geographically a part of the township. The village calls itself...
7 - Quality 16 (Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
) - SaginawSaginaw, MichiganSaginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
12 - Three RiversThree Rivers, MichiganThree Rivers is a city in St. Joseph County in the US state of Michigan. The population was 7,811 at the 2010 census.Three Rivers derives its name from the confluence of the St. Joseph River with its tributaries the Rocky and Portage Rivers. It is the home of St...
6 - W. Columbia 7 (Battle CreekBattle Creek, MichiganBattle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
)
Indiana
- BrownsburgBrownsburg, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 14,520 people, and 5,366 households residing in the town. The population density was 1,983.5 people per square mile . There were 5,574 housing units at an average density of 761.4 per square mile...
8 - Eastside 9 (LafayetteLafayette, IndianaLafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
) - Hamilton 16 IMAX (NoblesvilleNoblesville, IndianaNoblesville is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located just north of Indianapolis. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the 14th largest city/town in the state, up from 19th in 2007...
) - HuntingtonHuntington, IndianaHuntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
7 - LafayetteLafayette, IndianaLafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
7 - LebanonLebanon, IndianaLebanon is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Indiana, United States. The population was 15,792 at the 2010 census. The city was named Lebanon because a stand of hickory trees on the site reminded one of the town's commissioners of the Biblical cedars of Lebanon...
7 - PortagePortage, IndianaPortage is a city in Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 36,828 as of the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Porter County, and third largest in Northwest Indiana.-Geography:...
16 IMAX - Wabash Landing 9 (West LafayetteWest Lafayette, IndianaAs of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
)
Illinois
- Kendall 10 (OswegoOswego, IllinoisOswego is a village in Kendall County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 30,355. Its population has more than doubled since the 2000 census count of 13,326...
) - Randall 15 IMAX (BataviaBatavia, IllinoisBatavia was founded in 1833, and is the oldest city in Kane County, Illinois, with a small portion in DuPage County. During the Industrial Revolution, Batavia became known as ‘The Windmill City’ for being the largest windmill producer of the time...
) - SavoySavoy, IllinoisSavoy is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of the city of Champaign, Illinois. The population was 7,280 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Savoy is located at ....
16 - Willow Knolls 14 (PeoriaPeoria, IllinoisPeoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
)
Missouri
- Capital 8 (Jefferson CityJefferson City, MissouriJefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
) - Forum 8 (ColumbiaColumbia, MissouriColumbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
)