Openings

  • December 21, 2007

    Lights flicker out at Zephyrhills' theater

    ZEPHYRHILLS, FL — After almost 60 years, the Home Theatre is closing its doors, but may not be gone for good.

    When it opened in 1948, it was billed as one of the most modern movie theaters in the South, with comfortable seats, a wide stage and a glass-enclosed “crying room” for cranky babies.

    It was a big deal for small-town Zephyrhills. On opening day, ladies in evening gowns passed out carnations and cigars to the customers.

    Times changed, however. Suburban megaplexes, with multiple screens, corporate advertising budgets and giant parking lots offered stiff competition. The Home Theatre, with its two screens and tiny bathrooms, became an anachronism. It stopped pulling in the crowds.

    Now, the lettering on the downtown landmark’s darkened marquee reads, “For Rent.”

    Read more at the Tampa Tribune.

  • December 12, 2007

    More Magic for Bogalusa residents

    BOGALUSA, LA — The only theatre in town, the Magic Cinema is open again. It’s a five screener initially built in 1970.

    Despite no advertising, “I still had close to 200 people,” said Kimberly Chatellier of Bogalusa, who is operating the theater with her husband, Chad.

    Chatellier said she will try to get five movies in for this weekend at the five-screen theater that was built in the 1970s.

    People were excited to go to the movies last weekend, Chatellier said. The theater had been closed since September, when the previous operator chose to leave the business.

    Read more in the Daily News.

  • December 3, 2007

    Fully restored Balboa Theatre reopens January 31, 2008

    SAN DIEGO, CA — Finally, the Balboa Theatre is returning next month.

    After more than 2 years of restoration and $26.5 million, the curtain is almost ready to rise again at the Balboa Theatre in Horton Plaza. The old vaudeville venue, which originally opened in 1924, has been restored to its original glory. The theater was gutted and seismically retrofitted to modern standards. Then, a team of architects, historians, artists and craftsmen refurbished the interior, restoring the original color scheme and replacing broken fixtures with recreations of the originals.

    The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of the ornate interior decoration, project manager Gary Bosse said. Workers have taken special care to remain faithful to the original design in all of the public spaces, he said.

    A full article along with a video and 47 pictures of the interior and exterior restoration can be found at the NBCSandiego.com web site.

  • November 30, 2007

    ImaginAsian Center to open next month

    LOS ANGELES, CA — The ImaginAsian Center is set to open on December 7th on the site of the old Linda Lea.

    Read more in L.A. Downtown News.

    Some images from inside courtesy of blogdowntown

  • November 28, 2007

    Sherburn theatre reopens

    SHERBURN, MN — After half of year in darkness, the only theater in Sherburn returns.

    The small town of Sherburn gets its movie theater back next week.

    The town’s only movie theater was built in 1942 and had to shut down this spring because its projector could no longer show modern movies.

    But the people of Sherburn missed their movies. They raised $33,000, enough to pay for a new projector, surround sound, and a new screen.

    Read more at WKBT.

  • Warner Quad makes a comeback

    RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Some new improvements are intact with the reopening of the Warner Quad

    Workers scurried on Tuesday to clean the construction dust from the refurbished Warner Quad theater to get ready for today’s reopening.

    “There has been a slight decline in people walking up and down the avenue, so we’re looking forward to it reopening,” said Gus Lainis of the Daily Treat restaurant across the street from the 1930s-era theater in the heart of the business district on East Ridgewood Avenue.

    Read the full article on North Jersey.com.

  • November 21, 2007

    Bow Tie Cinemas opens new theater

    WEST HARTFORD, CT — Bow Tie Cinemas, based out of Ridgefield, CT and Manhattan, has opened their newest location, the six-screen deluxe Criterion Cinemas at Blue Back Square in West Hartford Center, CT. The complex features custom-designed seating, Dolby Digital sound in every auditorium, fresh popped popcorn served with Real Butter, and freshly brewed coffee and a selection of baked goods. The theater opened to the public on November 2nd.

    Bow Tie Cinemas is a four-generation family run company that began in 1900 as B.S. Moss Enterprises. Visit the theater’s website.

  • November 20, 2007

    Plaza Twin opening under new management/name

    PORT ORCHARD, WA — I am part of a group that’s reopening the Plaza Twin Cinema. We are renaming it The Orchard Theater and are shooting for a mid-December opening. The theater will show art/independent, foreign and classic films.

    Set to open in early December, the Historic Orchard Theatre, as it will be renamed, is the eighth cinema acquired by Far Away since 1997.

    In Kitsap County, the company also owns the Historic Lynwood Theatre, first opened in 1936, Bainbridge Cinemas and Olympic Cinemas, formerly the Redwood Plaza. Its other properties are in Oak Harbor, Anacortes and Ocean Shores.

    Here is a link to the full article in the Kitsap Sun about the opening…

    Hope to see you there!

    Thanks

  • November 19, 2007

    NCG Trillium Cinemas' IMAX Theatre opens

    GRAND BLANC, MI — The NGC Trillum Cinemas opened its 350-seat IMAX Theatre at midnight Thursday with the new 3D feature “Beowulf” as its inaugural movie on its 50' x 65' screen.

    Tickets for IMAX movies are $2 more than for other shows at the megaplex. The IMAX Trillum Theatre will show documentaries on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning with “Bugs: A Rainforest Adventure.”

    Additional info from the Flint Journal.

  • November 14, 2007

    Colonial in business

    PITTSFIELD, MA — The Colonial Theatre restoration is complete and is simply magnificent. I have been to many live performances there. They also acquired the former auto dealer showroom adjacent to them and use it for a greatly expanded lobby. They have enough restrooms so that patrons don’t have to line up at intermission for very long.

    Their website

    Contributed by Larry Murray