Entertainment

Hollywood Video Corporate Office

Hollywood Video was founded in 1988 by Mark Wattles.

By 1993 the company had 16 stores. That same year, Hollywood Video became a public company, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol HLYW. This initial public offering netted the company over $10 million.

By 1998 the company had 1,000 stores in 43 states and was the second biggest video rental and retailer in the United States after Blockbuster Entertainment.

Hollywood Video was bought by Movie Gallery in 2005.

The rise of Hollywood Video was the rise of the popularity of home movie rentals.

With the increasing popularity of services such as on-demand, Netflix, and $1 rentals in grocery stores, video rental businesses were unable to remain profitable.

With hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities, Movie Gallery filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 2010.

Hollywood Video

Hollywood Video was founded in 1988 by Mark Wattles.

By 1998 the company had 1,000 stores in 43 states and was the second biggest video rental and retailer in the United States after Blockbuster Entertainment.

History

Hollywood Video was bought by Movie Gallery in 2005.

The rise of Hollywood Video was the rise of the popularity of home movie rentals.

With the increasing popularity of services such as on-demand, Netflix, and $1 rentals in grocery stores, video rental businesses were unable to remain profitable.

With hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities, Movie Gallery filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 2010.

Blockbuster Corporate Office

Blockbuster is a home movie and video game rental company that was founded by David Cook and opened its first store in Dallas, Texas in 1985. Stores were both owned and franchised. DVD-by-mail, streaming, online, and on-demand services were later added.

The company grew quickly throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.

In 1990 Blockbuster bought out a big rival, Erol’s, and two music retail chains to start Blockbuster music.

In 1993 they proposed a merger with Viacom, but when both companies’ stocks fell, Viacom bought Blockbuster for over $8 billion.

Blockbuster separated from Viacom in 2004 when the company was at its peak with 60,000 employees and 9,000 stores.

From 2004 to 2010 Blockbuster faced increasingly fierce competition and had a business model that was increasingly difficult to maintain. In 2010 the company were delisted from the New York Stock Exchange when its stock was trading at less than $1 per share.

Blockbuster subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because of the competition from Netflix, Redbox, and on-demand movie services.

Blockbuster were bought by the Dish network in 2012, which closed down all but 350 stores nationwide.

Blockbuster

The company grew quickly throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.

In 1990 Blockbuster bought out a big rival, Erol’s, and two music retail chains to start Blockbuster music.

History

In 1993 they proposed a merger with Viacom, but when both companies’ stocks fell, Viacom bought Blockbuster for over $8 billion.

Blockbuster separated from Viacom in 2004 when the company was at its peak with 60,000 employees and 9,000 stores.

Blockbuster subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because of the competition from Netflix, Redbox, and on-demand movie services.

Blockbuster were bought by the Dish network in 2012, which closed down all but 350 stores nationwide.

AMC Theatres Corporate Office

Maurice, Edward and Barney Dubinksy founded AMC Theaters in 1920 when they purchased the Regent Theater in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The name of the company changed to Durwood Theaters and later American Multi-Cinema, Inc. when Edward’s son, Stanley, took over the business in 1961.

Stanley realized he could run more than one movie at a time with the same amount of staff, and after slow expansion to two, four, and then six screens, AMC opened America’s first megaplex in 1995.

AMC grew and expanded to have megaplex theaters all over the world, including Portugal and the U.K.

The company introduced stadium-style seating, in which the seats are placed on risers so that each person has an unobstructed view of the screen. Many of these seats have adjustable armrests that can be raised to create “Love Seat” style seating. Both of these features have become standard for nearly all movie theaters built today by all major chains.

In 2012 the Dalian Wanda Group, a Chinese conglomerate, purchased AMC for $2.6 billion. The deal included AMC’s 5,048 screens in 347 U.S. and Canadian theaters, as well as theaters in France, the U.K., and Hong Kong.

In several areas, the company has introduced in-house dining, called Fork and Screen. Customers can order full meals, including alcoholic beverages. These theaters offer reserved seating, as well as a “call” button, which summons a server.

Today AMC Theaters has the second-largest share of the American market. The company is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: AMC.

In 2016, the company acquired Carmike Cinemas for $1.1 billion. This makes AMC Theaters the largest theater chain in the US. In April 2020, AMC announced that they were trying to raise more than $500 million to prevent the company from filing forbankruptcy.

AMC Theaters employs more than 34,000 persons in the US alone. In 2016, the company reported annual revenue of $3.235 billion. Headquarters for the company are located in Leawood, Kansas.

AMC Theatres

Maurice, Edward and Barney Dubinksy founded AMC Theaters in 1920 when they purchased the Regent Theater in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The name of the company changed to Durwood Theaters and later American Multi-Cinema, Inc. when Edward’s son, Stanley, took over the business in 1961.

History

Stanley realized he could run more than one movie at a time with the same amount of staff, and after slow expansion to two, four, and then six screens, AMC opened America’s first megaplex in 1995.

AMC grew and expanded to have megaplex theaters all over the world, including Portugal and the U.K.

Today AMC Theaters has the second-largest share of the American market. The company is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: AMC.

In 2016, the company acquired Carmike Cinemas for $1.1 billion. This makes AMC Theaters the largest theater chain in the US. In April 2020, AMC announced that they were trying to raise more than $500 million to prevent the company from filing forbankruptcy.

AMC Theaters employs more than 34,000 persons in the US alone. In 2016, the company reported annual revenue of $3.235 billion. Headquarters for the company are located in Leawood, Kansas.

Microsoft Corporate Office

Microsoft was founded in 1975 by childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

In 1980, the company launched Xenix, their operating system based off of Unix.

In 1984, Microsoft Windows launched.

In 1986, the company headquarters were moved to Redmond, Washington where they remain today. The company also went public this same year.

In 1990, Microsoft Office was launched.

In 2000, Bill Gates was replaced as CEO by Steve Ballmer.

In 2001, the Xbox and Windows XP are both unveiled.

In 2007, Windows Vista is launched.

In 2011, the company acquired Skype.

In 2012, the Microsoft Surface tablet is launched.

Today, Microsoft is a multinational software manufacturer. Microsoft Windows is the most used desktop operating system in the world. The company also produces other consumer electronics like the Xbox and Zune.

In November 2018, Microsoft became the world’s most valuable company, rising above Apple.

Microsoft confirmed suspicions in 2019 that Cortana and Skype recordings were not private.

In mid-August 2019, the company warned users to update their Windows 10 systems immediately to avoid a virus that spreads malware between computers without any user interaction.

Microsoft

Microsoft was founded in 1975 by childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

In 1980, the company launched Xenix, their operating system based off of Unix.

History

In 1984, Microsoft Windows launched.

In 1986, the company headquarters were moved to Redmond, Washington where they remain today. The company also went public this same year.

In 1990, Microsoft Office was launched.

In 2000, Bill Gates was replaced as CEO by Steve Ballmer.

In 2001, the Xbox and Windows XP are both unveiled.

In 2007, Windows Vista is launched.

In 2011, the company acquired Skype.

In 2012, the Microsoft Surface tablet is launched.

In November 2018, Microsoft became the world’s most valuable company, rising above Apple.

Microsoft confirmed suspicions in 2019 that Cortana and Skype recordings were not private.

In mid-August 2019, the company warned users to update their Windows 10 systems immediately to avoid a virus that spreads malware between computers without any user interaction.

Pandora Corporate Office

Pandora Internet Radio began in 2000 as Savage Beast Technologies. The company was founded by Will Glaser, Jon Kraft, and Tim Westergren. The company created software which categorized music into recognizable patterns called the Music Genome Project.

The company received funding in 2004 to create a consumer facing software instead of trying to license the technology to larger companies.

In 2005, Pandora Radio launched. There are both free and paid versions of the service available. The paid version has no advertisements.

In 2008, a mobile version of Pandora was launched for iPhone, Android and other mobile devices.

In 2011, the company went public with an IPO.

In 2012, Pandora surpasses 150 million users.

In 2013, CEO Joe Kennedy announced he would be stepping down from the company.

Pandora

The company received funding in 2004 to create a consumer facing software instead of trying to license the technology to larger companies.

In 2005, Pandora Radio launched. There are both free and paid versions of the service available. The paid version has no advertisements.

History

In 2008, a mobile version of Pandora was launched for iPhone, Android and other mobile devices.

In 2011, the company went public with an IPO.

In 2012, Pandora surpasses 150 million users.

In 2013, CEO Joe Kennedy announced he would be stepping down from the company.