final bow?

Beloved River Oaks Theater faces potential shutter due to lease dispute

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The fate of the cinema still hangs in the balance as talks continue.

Photo courtesy of River Oaks Theatre

UPDATE: A protest is planned for Sunday, March 7 at 2 pm at the theater.

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Once again, the fate of a beloved Houston cinematic icon hangs in the balance. Stalling lease negotiations have put the River Oaks Theater’s future in jeopardy. The iconic theater’s lease agreement is coming to an end at the end of March 2021.

“We very much want to come to an agreement with Weingarten Realty and be able to continue to run our preeminent art house community theater,” said Landmark Theatres (which owns the venue) president and COO, Paul Serwitz, in a statement. “However, our lease is quickly coming to an end and, if we are unable to come to terms with our landlord, we will be forced to shutter.”

Property owner Weingarten Realty says the issue comes down to unpaid bills. “Silver Cinema Acquisition Company has been a key component to River Oaks Shopping Center,” a spokesperson for Weingarten Realty tells CultureMap.

“We have continued to work with the company who has not paid rent since March of 2020. Conversations have indicated that their business model does not support paying more than a fraction of the previous rent going forward. Unfortunately, the pandemic has caused many businesses in the entertainment industry, such as theaters, to fail.”

Serwitz points to the recent national economic downturn as a major factor in loss of revenue and the fact that viewers are eschewing theaters and are instead watching from home.

“Obviously, the government mandated closure during the COVID-19 crisis had an enormous impact on our revenue and we are trying to work with Weingarten on a proposal that will be to the benefit of both parties as well as the Houston community,” he said in a statement.

As local film fans are well aware, the River Oaks Theater is a movie palace from bygone days. The venue, which opened in 1939, is cherished for its art deco interior and has won myriad local accolades for its charm and preservation. The landmark also hosted Houston premieres of five of the last 10 Academy Award Best Picture winners.

“The River Oaks Theater has a long, storied history and we are very proud to have owned and operated the theater since 1976,” Serwitz continued. “It would be such a loss for Houston if we have to close our doors after 82 years because of an unwillingness to negotiate to the shared and mutual benefit of both parties.” He also added that “this awful pandemic is not the fault of Landmark Theatres or Weingarten Realty, but we all must be flexible during these trying times.”

This isn’t the first time the River Oaks Theater’s future has been in question. In 2018, as CultureMap reported, Amazon eyed the purchase of Landmark Theatres.

preservation movies

be well

3 hot wellness studios move swiftly into new Heights development

Courtesy of Radom Capital

The Swift BLDG is expected to open in late 2026.

A new mixed-use development in the Heights has announced its next round of tenants. Three wellness businesses are coming to The Swift BLDG, Houston developers Radom Capital and Triten Real Estate Partners’ project in the historic Swift & Company Packing Plant that’s located near the Heights Hike & Bike Trail.

They are:

SweatHouz, a contrast therapy studio
Strong Pilates Studio
The Skin Clinic, a Houston-based aesthetics and skincare destination

Scheduled to open in winter 2026, SweatHouz will offer infrared saunas, cold plunges, and other protocols to improve a person’s well-being. The protocols are focused on areas such as athletic recovery, reducing stress, improving circulation, mental health, and longevity. In addition, it will offer a beauty bar equipped with Dyson hot tolls and a beverage station stocked with different waters.

Building on the success of its Katy location that opened last year, Strong Pilates Studio will occupy 2,500 square feet in the Swift BLDG. Using Rowformer and Bikeformer machines, customers have the opportunity to take classes in Strong Body, Strong Loaded, and Strong Pilates-Only. It’s expected to open in the fall.

“Our method blends strength, cardio, and reformer-based training into one, delivering real results in just 45 minutes. This isn’t just Pilates — it’s a new standard for fitness in Houston. And a community that sweats together stays strong,” franchisee Mona Hussein-Zaki said in a statement.

Currently located in M-K-T, the Skin Clinic will more than double its footprint by relocated to the Swift BLDG. The clinic’s services focus on skin health and rejuvenation. It also expected to open in the fall.

“The response from this community has been incredible, and Swift gives us the room to grow into what our patients have been asking for: more space, more services, and the same patient-centered care that got us here." founder Kelli Nwuli said.

All three businesses join previously announced tenants such as Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, premium juice bar Leemoo, Merit Coffee, and Houston Tex-Mex staple Escalante’s.

On track to open to the public in fall 2026, The Swift BLDG will offer more than 30,000 square feet of office space along with 30,000 square feet of restaurant and retail tenants. The two companies previously partnered on M-K-T, the Heights mixed-use development that’s near the Swift project. Radom is known for a number of other Houston developments, including the Montrose Collective and the historic Tower Theater property and its adjacent buildings.

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