If you grew up anywhere near South County, the name Ronnie’s isn't just a movie theater. It's a landmark. A rite of passage. Honestly, it’s basically the heartbeat of Lindbergh Boulevard. For decades, the "whispering" Wehrenberg intro—Wehrenberg... Wehrenberg...—was the soundtrack to our Friday nights. But then the signs changed. The logo shifted. Suddenly, we were talking about Marcus Wehrenberg Ronnies 20, and a lot of locals were left wondering if the soul of the place was still there.
The transition from a family-owned St. Louis staple to a Milwaukee-based powerhouse wasn't just a corporate handshake. It was a massive culture shift for the oldest family-run theater circuit in the country.
The Day the Whispers Changed
In late 2016, the news hit like a ton of bricks: Marcus Theatres was buying Wehrenberg. People were worried. Would they kill the classic cars in the lobby? What about the popcorn? Marcus didn't just buy the 14 theaters; they bought the history. Specifically, they snatched up Ronnie’s Plaza, that sprawling 84,000-square-foot retail hub that surrounds the cinema.
They kept the Wehrenberg name on the marquee for a while—hence the Marcus Wehrenberg Ronnies 20 branding—to ease the transition. It was smart. You don't just walk into a town like St. Louis and erase 110 years of history overnight. Not if you want people to keep buying $8 sodas.
Eventually, the "Wehrenberg" part of the name started to fade into the background. It’s mostly just Marcus Ronnie's Cine now, but the legacy of the Krueger family still lingers in the bones of the building.
What’s Actually Different Now?
If you haven't been back in a few years, the place is kinda unrecognizable inside. But in a good way. Marcus dumped a staggering amount of money into renovations.
They turned the old-school seats into "DreamLoungers." You know the ones. They’re oversized, leather, and they recline until you’re basically horizontal. If the movie is boring, you're definitely taking a nap.
The Food Situation
Forget just having a tub of popcorn. The Marcus Wehrenberg Ronnies 20 era brought in a weirdly diverse food scene.
- Reel Sizzle: Basically a 1950s-style diner inside the lobby. They do burgers and shakes that are actually decent.
- Zaffiro’s Express: If you like thin-crust pizza, this is the Milwaukee influence showing. It’s "cracker-crust" style, and honestly, it competes with some of the local STL pizza spots.
- Take Five Lounge: They put a full bar in. Seeing Oppenheimer with a craft cocktail in your hand hits different than a lukewarm Diet Coke.
The IMAX and Big Screen Factor
Ronnie’s was always the place to go for the "big" experience. Marcus kept that energy. They maintained the IMAX certification, which is still a huge draw for the Marvel and Christopher Nolan crowds. But they also pushed their own proprietary tech, the UltraScreen DLX.
It’s got the Dolby Atmos sound system. You can feel the explosions in your chest. It’s loud. Really loud. But for a theater that has 20 screens, they managed to make the "Big 20" feel more like a premium destination than a sticky-floored multiplex.
Why the Name Still Matters
You still hear people call it "Wehrenberg’s." It’s a habit. Fred Wehrenberg started this whole thing in 1904 as a saloon where he showed silent movies. The name "Ronnie’s" actually comes from Ronald Paul Krueger, Fred’s grandson.
When Marcus took over, they kept the classic cars in the lobby. That was a huge win for the community. It showed that the new owners understood that Ronnie’s is basically a museum of St. Louis nostalgia that happens to show movies.
Is It Still Worth the Trip?
Let’s be real. Streaming almost killed the cinema. But Marcus Wehrenberg Ronnies 20 survived because it leaned into the "experience" side of things.
The "Value Tuesdays" are still a thing. People still flock there for the heated seats. There’s something about that specific corner of South County—the neon lights, the massive parking lot, the smell of artificial butter—that feels like home.
If you're planning a visit, check the Marcus app instead of the old Wehrenberg site (which is long dead). The rewards program is actually pretty solid if you go more than once a month. You get points for every dollar, and eventually, that translates into free popcorn, which is the only way to beat the "movie theater inflation" we're all living through.
If you’re heading out to Ronnie’s this weekend, grab your tickets online ahead of time. The DreamLoungers mean there are fewer seats per theater than there used to be, and the good ones in the middle of the row go fast.
Pro Tip: Park on the south side of the lot if you want a quicker exit after a blockbuster lets out. That main entrance onto Lindbergh can be a nightmare at 10:00 PM.