Fleur Cinema & Café reopens in Des Moines Friday with a nod to its highest-grossing film

More than three years since Fleur Cinema & Café closed, the beloved indie theater in Des Moines reopens this weekend with little change.

Fridley Theatres, an Iowa theater company that runs 17 locations and maintains 95 screens across Iowa, takes over operations at the Fleur Cinema & Cafe on the south side of Des Moines.

The Fleur closed on March 13, 2020, according to a Facebook post, during the early stages of the pandemic. Aside from a few private events, the theater remained closed.

When will Fleur Cinema & Café reopen?

The Des Moines theater at 4545 Fleur Drive will open Friday with “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” with the first showing of the movie at 1 p.m.

Patrons can expect the theater to open a half hour before the first scheduled showtime, Russell Vannorsdel, president of Fridley Theatres, told the Des Moines Register in a phone call Wednesday. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” also runs on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Patrons should visit Fleur Cinema & Café’s website, fleurcinema.com, to view all showtimes at the theater.

Related: The Varsity Cinema plans to reopen just in time for Christmas: Here's what to expect

What movies are playing at Fleur Cinema & Café?

Fleur Cinema & Café reopens with “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” the third installment in the romantic comedy series starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett that follows the Portokalos family as they return to Greece for a family reunion. The 2002 movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was the highest-grossing title in the history of Fleur Cinema, according to the news release, though Vannorsdel did not have that dollar figure readily available Wednesday morning.

“One of the things that was exciting about targeting this weekend is we had went back and looked through records and saw that the original ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ was the highest-grossing feature at the Fleur,” Vannorsdel said. “And sure enough, the third rendition is coming out and we were able to get everything in line to be able to open this weekend.”

“Past Lives,” directed by Celine Song, will also be playing at the theater during its reopening weekend. The movie is about two childhood friends, one of which emigrated from South Korea with their family, who reunite decades later for one week in New York.

Other movies playing this weekend include “Theater Camp,” a comedy about an eccentric staff keeping a scrappy theater camp in New York afloat, and “Horror 48 Style,” which plays short horror films made in 48 hours, according to Fleur Cinema's website

How much are tickets?

A matinee or senior ticket costs $7 and an adult ticket goes for $9, according to Chris Kottman, area manager for Fridley Theatres and Fleur Cinema & Café.

Are there any changes to Fleur Cinema & Café?

Vannorsdel said there are no physical changes to the auditorium, though the parking lot was resurfaced and restriped. People seeing movies at Fleur Cinema Friday can expect a “similar experience to going to the Fleur in the past,” he said.

“We’ve worked very hard to maintain the aspects of the Fleur that made it a special place, iconic place, to go to movie theaters on the south side,” Vannorsdel said.

Vannorsdel told the Register in July that the goal is to continue booking the same type of movies patrons of the Fleur expect of the cinema and to provide the same experience they had with the theater before its closure in 2020.

The four-screen cinema will operate only three screens.

The Fridley Theatres president said the fourth auditorium had previously been retrofitted to operate as a different space that isn’t ideal for showing movies. During the pandemic, it hosted private events.

Vannorsdel said if it's determined Fleur Cinema needs a fourth auditorium, he will work with owners Coppola Enterprises to covert that space back into a theater.

“We'll be happy to host any type of private events whether it's within the lobby, that fourth auditorium space or special shows in the current auditorium,” he said.

Will there be concessions at the Fleur Cinema & Café?

Yes.

Patrons can get everything from popcorn and candy to lattes and other coffee drinks. Customers can also order sweets, including scotcheroos. The Fleur Cinema & Café is in the process of getting its liquor license. Vannorsdel anticipates that the theater will be able to offer beer and wine by October.

What is the Fleur Cinema & Café?

Michael Coppola opened Fleur Cinema & Café in 2001, and it went on to become known for showing arthouse and indie films. Cosmopolitan magazine named the Fleur the “coolest movie theater in Iowa” in 2017.

When did Fleur Cinema & Café close?

The theater closed on March 13, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Facebook announcement. In July, the owners of the Fleur Cinema & Café signed an agreement with Fridley Theatres, which would operate and manage the cinema, and reopen before Oct. 1.

The cinema was able to reopen earlier because it hired enough staff, Vannorsdel said. Part of reopening the cinema required a “knowledgeable” staff.

“That's one of the things that has been a Fleur moniker is that the staff knows those movies and loves movies,” he said. “We feel very fortunate we are able to hire a really good staff.”

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Fleur Cinema & Café in Des Moines reopens this weekend