Empire Oakridge Cinemas is closing today for good to make room for Crate & Barrel

Oakridge Cinemas, owned by the Nova Scotia-based Empire Theatres Ltd. since 2005, is to close forever today to make way for what is expected to be a Crate & Barrel furniture and housewares store.

The closure affects about 25 employees at the location. The movie theatre’s closure comes as smaller, single-screen movie theatres have all but disappeared from the Lower Mainland as audiences have dwindled.

A new Vancouver theatre is scheduled to open in 2014 as part of the Marine Gateway development at Marine Drive and Cambie Street, will be an 11-screen multiplex that will include three VIP theatres. The VIP theatre offers moviegoers a chance to buy a reserved seat (for an additional $6), enjoy service in their seats, and watch movies in larger, more comfortable leather chairs. High ticket costs have driven most people to the megaplexes where they feel they’re getting a spectacle for their dollar.