How it started
History
The focus of Magic Theatres was to build first-rate multiplexes in urban communities, bringing high-quality facilities and technology, as well as job development, encouraging local economic growth. While Magic Theatres are patterned after the Loews Cineplex Entertainment model, they focus on urban markets. Each complex is around 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) with multiple concession areas, 10 to 15 screens with Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS) immersive sound, stadium seating and a capacity of 3,200 to 5,000. After building the Magic Theatre in Harlem, multiple businesses followed suit, including Old Navy, Walt Disney, and HMV.
There are/were two multiplex theatres in, or near, major cities of the United States of America, namely in areas which are predominantly African-American and previously were underserved by modern cineplexes.
Johnson brought his understanding of the community to his theater operations. In his concessions, he planned on his customers eating their dinner with the movie, adding chicken wings and buffalo shrimp to the selection. Flavored sodas were added to emulate the Kool-Aid the kids he grew up with would drink at home.
"Used to be we couldn't afford to go to dinner and the movie afterward. I told Loews 'Black people are going to eat dinner at the movies'"
No gang colors or "hanging out" in large groups was permitted in the theaters. Johnson would personally appear before each movie:
From Wikipedia’s article on Magic Johnson Theatres, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2