Type of business Private | ||
Industry Entertainment (movie theatres) Key people Fred S. Kogod, Founder
Max Burka, Founder Headquarters Washington, D.C., United States Founded 1926, Washington, D.C., United States | ||
KB Theatres (a.k.a. KB Cinemas) was a Washington, D.C. area movie theatre chain that went out of business in January, 1994.
History
Fred S. Kogod and Max Burka were the founders, and the K and B of the chains name. European immigrants, and brothers-in-law, the duo were successful in the grocery and real-estate business in the 1920s, before starting the chain. The first theater purchased by the company was the Princess Theater in 1926, which came as part of a larger real-estate buy. Their second theater, The Atlas located at 1331 H. Street, Washington, D.C., was built by the company and opened in 1938 and closed in 1976.
The chain closed abruptly in January, 1994 with little warning to the community or employees. 10 of 15 theaters were sold to an investor partnership. Several KB locations were taken over by Cineplex Odeon.