Malco Lengthens Run at Shops of Forest Hill

By Amos Maki
– The Commercial Appeal –

Malco Theatres will continue to have a robust presence in Germantown.

Malco has signed a long-term lease extension with Boyle Investment Co. for 25,000 square feet of retail space at the Shops of Forest Hill, Boyle’s 350,000-square-foot community center in Germantown on Poplar at Forest Hill-Irene.

Malco has been a tenant at the Shops of Forest Hill since 1993.

"Malco is committed to its presence in Germantown," said Robert T. Levy, senior vice president of Malco Theatres.

Meanwhile, Malco is moving forward with plans to transform the eight-screen movie theater to digital cinema projection.

"The conversion to digital cinema will allow Malco to present alternative content, including live and recorded concerts, sporting events, and satellite-transmitted business seminars," said Levy.

Malco has been in a growth spurt.

The family-owned company recently opened the 17-screen Grandview Cinema in the Jackson, Miss., suburb of Madison.

It also recently opened the 12-screen Pinnacle Cinema at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers, Ark., and the eight-screen Van Buren Cinema in Van Buren, Ark.

Malco is also finishing construction on a 12-screen theater in Fayetteville, Ark., and has other projects in development in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida.

Re-signing Malco, which operates more than 300 screens in 35 locations throughout the South, was a priority for Boyle because of the large amount of space the company leased.

"Malco is a very important anchor tenant, and we look forward to continuing what has been a very successful relationship," said Carey Whitehead, senior vice president of Boyle.

Developed by Boyle in 1993, the Shops of Forest Hill contains a mix of destination and convenience retailers designed to serve the upscale suburb.

Major tenants there include Target, Schnucks, Marshalls and Malco.