Alamo Drafthouse closing cinema at Mercato in North Naples

The silver screens are fading to black again at Mercato as Alamo Drafthouse cinema is closing its North Naples location Sept. 9.

The intermission is expected to be short as Paragon Theaters hopes to take over the spot to continue the movie-dining tradition there. Paragon also operates the 10-screen cinema across U.S. 41 North in The Pavilion shopping center.

In April 2024, Alamo’s 11-screen cinema with its full menu of food and cocktails and a nine-hole miniature golf course replaced the longtime Silverspot Cinema at Mercato. Within months of the North Naples opening, Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema was acquired by California-based Sony Pictures Experiences, and the mini golf eventually was retired.

Unfortunately, the Naples cinema proved to be an underperforming location for the chain.

“We have made the difficult decision to close our Naples, Florida, location. Our last day of operations will be Sept. 9, 2026,” an Alamo Drafthouse spokesperson emailed Sept. 4. “We are all immensely grateful for our community partners, our teammates and our guests in the Naples area. Severance packages will be offered to all teammates, and we are relieved to know that the building will continue operating as a movie theater under Paragon Theaters. We will work with Paragon to help connect interested teammates with comparable opportunities wherever possible.”

Guests who are subscribed to Alamo Drafthouse’s Season Pass membership program in Naples will have their subscriptions canceled and refunded at a prorated rate.

Alamo Drafthouse plans to continue operating its remaining 40 cinema locations and expand its nationwide business. The company made a landmark announcement last month about its plans to restore and reopen the Cinerama Dome and the former Arclight Hollywood in Los Angeles.

“We appreciate their partnership over the years and thank their team for the experiences they’ve brought to our guests,” said Lauren Ness, a spokesperson for Jamestown, the company that leases and manages Mercato. “Entertainment continues to be an important part of our vision for the property. We have a new movie theater tenant in process and look forward to sharing those details with the Naples community very soon.”

While it’s not a done deal yet, Paragon Theaters wants to reopen the 11 screens on the second floor of Mercato by mid-December in time to show the new sequels for “Avengers” and “Dune,” which will be released Dec. 18, said Michael Whalen, co-CEO and co-owner of Paragon. If a tenant agreement can be reached, moviegoers can expect a similar experience with upscale amenities.

Paragon would like to retrofit the Mercato space with its Axis15 Extreme auditoriums featuring tilted screens and Lux Box dine-in recliners. “A high-end pod recliner where you can order food to your seat. We think that’s a winner in Naples,” Whalen said.

The Paragon entertainment company was founded in 2009 by former Muvico executives Michael Wilson and Whalen.