BOISE - One of Boise's first modern multi-screen movie screen complexes is gone.
The former Reel Theater complex near Boise Towne Square has been demolished to make way for a new PetSmart store.
The six screen complex sat vacant in recent years - after struggling under two separate owners. At one time, the theater hosted the most screens in Boise. It opened under the ownership of Cineplex Odeon in 1988 and featured nearly 1200 seats in all. The theater remained popular until the opening of Edwards Cinemas on Overland Rd. at the Boise Spectrum in 1998.
Demolition on the highly visible site started last week, and a new PetSmart store is set to spring up in place of the theater. The new building will replace a location across the street.
"Something neat about this store is that it will be very large," Jessica White with PetSmart said. "It will offer pet parents a lot of services we didn't have in the other store."
White says a PetsHotel boarding facility and doggie day camp will be added. A full service veterinary clinic will also be featured for the first time. She says the time is right to upgrade the chain's presence in the area.
"We're in a constant of monitoring our stores," she said. "When we determine that we can expand in a certain area and bring more services, we're always interested in doing it."
Yang Sheng - the Chineese restaurant located next to the vacant theater - moved to Overland and Cole in the Boise Spectrum complex. It has been renamed Guang Zhou.
Other stores in the complex, including Sprint and Clear Wireless remain open. A spokesperson for property manager Select Commercial says they plan to attach the new PetSmart to the existing shops.
