Plush Seats Arrive at Downtown Ventura Movie Theaters

The backsides of moviegoers in downtown Ventura are in for a soft landing now that the much-anticipated plush seats have arrived at a theater complex on Main Street.

“These are completely top-of-the-line movie seats,” said Nancy Klasky, vice president of marketing for Century Theatres.

The seats were installed in all 10 auditoriums of the Downtown Century Theatre on Friday, in time for the Presidents Day holiday weekend.

“We had a fantastic Presidents Day weekend at the theater,” Klasky said. “The theaters have alternating rows of two styles of seats. One contains love seats with movable armrests to allow for typical movie snuggling; the other features rocking chairs.”

Late Wednesday morning, about 20 people were going to a matinee. Most said they had heard the seats had arrived and were interested in giving them a try.

“We were here at least four or five times with the old seats, and we were not pleased,” said Maxine Libman, 55, of Ventura.

Such criticism filtered up to the top of the company, Klasky said.

“We were aware that there were complaints, but it’s something we had no control over,” Klasky said, explaining that the theater chain had intended to use the soft seats when the multiplex opened in the fall, but they weren’t delivered. “We were at the mercy of the vendor.

“But,” she continued, “the vendor did come through in the end.”

Klasky said the arrival of the new seats should increase ticket sales.

Judging by Wednesday’s audience, she may be right.

“It’s a good thing, because a lot of people weren’t coming,” Libman said.