Renovations in store for Smitty’s Cinema in Windham
One of the larger showrooms at Smitty's Cinema in Windham is set to be converted into an arcade by the end of the year. (Rory Sweeting/Staff Writer)
Smitty’s Cinema in Windham will close temporarily later this month as it undergoes a significant expansion of entertainment offerings.
The expansion will see the theater’s two largest showrooms converted into a 50-game arcade and a six-lane bowling alley. Meanwhile, a former mattress store adjacent to the theater will become part of the Smitty’s complex and be converted into a bar area with pool tables and memorabilia of classic films such as “North by Northwest” and “The Hustler.”
Albert Waitt, president of operations for Smitty’s Entertainment Group Inc., said the first expansion of this sort at a Smitty’s location came prior to the COVID-19 pandemic when the group added what he called a “family entertainment center” to its Sanford location as a way of diversifying the theater’s offerings with the goal of becoming an entertainment hub.
Following the positive reception of the Sanford expansion, Smitty’s embarked on similar projects for its locations in Topsham and Tilton, New Hampshire. The Windham location is the last to undergo expansion.
Waitt said the store will close at the end of August, with a full reopening expected by Thanksgiving. Waitt did not give a cost estimate.
When asked about other steps his chain is taking to stay competitive in the movie theater industry, Waitt pointed to this year’s strong summer box office, with hits such as “The Odyssey” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” but said more and more theaters are focused on expanding “social gaming” options. The activities, he said, include bowling, arcades and darts, and give people the opportunity to go out and interact with one another without being on their phones.
Waitt was particularly excited about the bowling alley, which will have a wall-sized LED screen behind the lanes. The screen, he said, will show how many pins a bowler has knocked down, and have visual and sound effects reminiscent of the 1960s Adam West “Batman” show.
“If anyone’s looking to get out and do something, we should have something for them,” said Waitt.
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Rory, an experienced reporter from western Massachusetts, joined the Maine Trust for Local News in October 2024. He is a community reporter for Windham, Raymond, Casco, Bridgton, Naples, Standish, Gray,. More by Rory Sweeting
