Lake in the Hills Theater to Sell Alcohol

A bar area, new reclining seats and more aisle space for movie-goers are a few of the major upgrades underway at the Lake in the Hills movie theater.

The Lake in the Hills Village Board on Thursday approved a liquor license for the AMC Theatre at 311 N. Randall Road in Lake in the Hills, which will allow the theater to move forward with plans to add a small lobby bar, according to the LITH weekly resident newsletter.

The addition of the bar will allow those over the age of 21 years old to purchase alcoholic beverages before and after the movie and also bring those drinks into the movie theaters, according to village documents.

The bar concept, MacGuffins, is used by other AMC theaters throughout the country, according to AMC’s website.

The bar addition is part of a larger remodeling effort at the theater. Work at the theater will occur in phases. AMC plans to renovate four theaters at a time to allow for its other eight theaters to remain open, according to the Lake in the Hills Resident Insider weekly newsletter.

In the process of the renovations, the theater will decrease its seating from 2,700 to just over 1,000 seats and will allow for more aisle space, according to the resident newsletter. New recliners will be added to all of the theaters. 

The theater is also in the process of re-painting, putting in new carpet and upgrading the lobby, bathrooms and concession stand. New food and beverage items will be offered at the concession stand following the renovations, according to village documents.

In recent months, Arlington Heights also approved a theater that will sell alcohol. Star Cinema Grill could open as soon as May and will include a restaurant and a bar in the lobby, according to the Chicago Tribune.