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Texas-based microbrewery theater chain claims Houston's shuttered Alamo Drafthouse

The Houston area’s shuttered Alamo Drafthouse will soon reopen under new ownership. Flix Brewhouse has claimed all four Drafthouse locations that had been operated by Triple Tap ventures, including two theaters in El Paso and one in Lubbock.

Founded in Round Rock, TX in 2011, Flix Brewhouse touts itself as “the world’s only first-run cinema brewery.” The acquisition brings Flix to 15 locations nationwide, including theaters in San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque. The Houston location is in Katy’s LaCenterra development (2707 Commercial Center Blvd.).

All four locations will reopen on February 23, in time for the release of Scream 7, with tickets going on sale February 13.

“This acquisition is a natural extension of who we are and what we believe in,” CEO Chance Robertson said in a statement. “Cinema success today means creating better experiences. We’re grateful to the entire Triple Tap team for their work in cultivating these moviegoing communities, and we’re honored to carry that legacy forward.”

Similar to an Alamo Drafthouse, Flix serves a wide range of classic American fare, all of which is scratch-made in the theater’s kitchen. They include breakfast tacos (available all day), burgers, salads, pizza, and entrees such as chicken tenders, fish and chips, and quesadillas. Naturally, theater goers have four popcorn choices: butter, bacon ranch, elote chili lime, and dill pickle.

They’re paired with beers brewed exclusively for Flix. Current styles include a Scottish ale, a raspberry wheat, a hazy IPA, and a Mexican-style lager. Last year, it won a Gold Medal at the Texas Craft Brewers Cup.

Each location screens first-run films as well as “Flix Picks” for classic movies and a FanFest screening that includes a custom menu and a souvenir glass. All theaters feature digital projection and sound, reclined seating and parabolic screens.

This YouTube commercial previews the experience.

“As the industry continues to evolve, Flix Brewhouse remains focused on thoughtful, strategic growth and delivering a distinctly different experience for moviegoers,” Robertson added. “The path forward in exhibition isn’t one size fits all. Innovation at Flix means staying true to what sets us apart: our craft and constant drive to raise the bar on quality, service, and community.”

Alamo Drafthouse opened its Katy location in 2018. It closed on Saturday, February 7.

Courtesy of Flix Brewhouse

The menu includes burgers and other sandwiches.

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remember the alamo

Houston's last Alamo Drafthouse quietly closes, will reopen with new owner

Courtesy photo

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It's a sad day for film lovers in Houston. On Saturday, February 7, Alamo Drafthouse announced they would close the LaCenterra location in Katy, ending the chain's tenure in the city.

"Our franchise partner Triple Tap Ventures, which operates four locations in Texas (Houston, El Paso, East El Paso, and Lubbock), will no longer operate these theaters under the Alamo Drafthouse brand," the company said in a statement. "We’re grateful to the teammates and guests in El Paso, Katy, and Lubbock for their support over the years and wish them all the best. We hope to return to these communities in the future."

Founded in 1997 in Austin, Alamo Drafthouse became a leading name in cinemas thanks to their pioneering restaurant format, unique programming, hybrid live events, and dedication to indie films. The chain expanded to Houston in 2003, opening a location in the West Oaks Mall. The LaCenterra location followed in 2018.

In 2024, Sony Pictures acquired the chain amid closures and bankruptcies all over Texas. It was part of a slew of studio-owned cinemas that sprang up after the fall of the Paramount Consent Decrees in 2020, but it appears even Sony's support was not enough to save the Houston cinema.

The good news is that the theater will be reopening. Rob Saucedo, former head of programming who now operates the River Oaks Theatre in much the same way he did Alamo, posted a bittersweet statement to Facebook after the closure was announced.

"It feels weird for these theaters I spent so much time and energy into building a community around to suddenly close," he writes. "It’s a reminder that nothing is permanent. The locations will be reopened soon under a new brand and folks will still be able to see movies there. Graveyard Shift, the weekly horror series I created, will be dead though. So will so many other practices I built, big and small."

Alamo Drafthouses across Texas remain open, including in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.

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