A rendering of The Back Stage Lounge (Photo Courtesy of O’Neil Cinemas
O’Neil Cinemas, a family-owned theater chain with a 40-year legacy in NH, is returning to Londonderry this month with a renovated theater featuring cutting-edge technology, luxurious seating, and enhanced amenities.
Originally founded in 1982, O’Neil Cinemas was operated by the O’Neil family for decades before leasing the Londonderry facility to AMC Theaters in 2014. Following AMC’s recent departure, the O’Neil family—led by Dan O’Neil Sr. and his sons, Dan O’Neil and Tim O’Neil—decided to reclaim and revitalize the theater for a new era of cinema and community engagement.
“The theater in Londonderry is a 10-plex and it’s fully gutted at this point but we’re making it a first-class facility that will add 40 to 50 jobs,” says the younger Dan O’Neil. The newly renovated, 28,000-square-foot theater will include nine auditoriums as a luxury lounge. It will also include a full-service bar where people will be able to order food to be delivered to their seats. “We want this to be a great communal experience for people and we plan on renting out the facility for corporate and community events as well,” O’Neil says.
The facility will include two Grand DLX auditoriums with massive screens and Dolby Atmos sound—offering a multi-dimensional audio experience with 64 strategically placed speakers. In the grand auditoriums guests will be able to enjoy ‘Buttkicker’ heated recliners with swivel tables, which synchronize vibrations with the film’s soundtrack. “We want people to get off the couch and have an immersive experience,” O’Neil says.
Movie theaters have come a long way from the O’Neil’s’ original theater in Londonderry, which was a fourplex built in 1982 when Dan O’Neil Jr. was 12 years old. “My brother [Tim] and I got into the business early on working concessions and the projectors,” O’Neil says, adding that O’Neil Cinemas expanded in the 1990s to include theaters in Epping, NH, as well as Massachusetts. The cost of the renovation in Londonderry is roughly $7 million and O’Neil believes it’s a worthwhile investment, especially considering the long distance to the closest theaters and his belief in building community. “We’re communal creatures and throughout history we’ve told stories. People like to laugh and cry together,” he says. “Being in this business feels like we’re providing a service to community.” For more information, visit oneilcinemas.com.
