In 1918, San Antonio business leaders came calling for Santikos to run the downtown Rialto. The early short films were usually combined with live acts. It all began with Greek immigrant Louis Santikos saving enough money to buy the Rex Theatre nickelodeon in downtown Waco in 1911, when the concept of moving pictures on film was only about 16 years into development. We pride ourselves in providing the best in cinematic presentation and being the first exhibitor in San Antonio to bring the best in technology to our moviegoers is essential.”
“It’s important to get each advance into the theatres as soon as possible. “Things have certainly changed from presenting vaudeville shows to now this awe-inspiring presentation of digital film, IMAX, Xpand 3-D and D-BOX motion coded seats, which are a truly immersive affair,” Santikos says. If the future of the leadership at the company is unknown, its future in movies seems a sure thing. At 84, he has no successor to keep the theaters a family-run business but also no plans to retire. John Santikos, like his father before him, never tires of reinventing the way customers experience movies. There are also gourmet burgers and pizza, craft beer ordered at your seat, dining rooms and even a gelato cafe.
Some theaters have reserved seating, seats that move in conjunction with select films, 3-D that keeps getting better, and audio techniques that further transport the audience into the movie. Look a little closer though and patrons will find cutting edge concepts, technology and a glimpse of the future at what will soon be eight San Antonio theaters and two in Houston. And the smell of popcorn wafts across the lobby like a salty, buttery promise of a two-hour escape. Details of the lobby mimic classic theater styles usually found in the rare, restored historic theaters. Ticket sellers and takers, concession staff and the clean up crew all sport red bowties and white shirts.
Movies at Santikos Theaters aren’t quite like they were when the first opened 101 years ago, and yet they are. Once in front of the silver screen, customers might don 3-D glasses, order up a burger and fries or catch their seat rumbling with the film’s action. Walking into one of Santikos Theaters seven San Antonio locations, it’s not uncommon to see a crowd with beers in hand cheering at a televised Spurs games or to find a group shooting pool.
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