It looks like the Kenrick Cine is going to become a Walmart. Here’s the story from the Post-Dispatch:
[(http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/shrewsbury-board-gives-nod-to-walmart/article_6a81eb81-58ab-52ac-9b82-2276da1f0b74.html)]
@Jmiller: “The Swarm” was one of the most hyped pictures I can remember (there were full page color ads in the Globe-Democrat about 1-2 months before it opened saying “The Swarm is coming!”…but like you said, once it opened, it turned out to be an epic flop!!! Right up there with Heaven’s Gate as one of the worst big-budget movie disasters of all time!
Following up my recent post on the Westport Cine, I believe the Alton was one of the few theaters that didn’t have a box office. You bought your tickets at the front of the concession stand as you went in the building. The Westport Cine had a similar setup. Can anyone confirm?
As I recall, this was one of the few movie theaters that didn’t have a box office. You bought your tickets at the front of the concession stand after you went in. I believe the Alton Cine had a similar “no box office” setup. Can anyone confirm?
I went to this theater a few times. Saw the first Batman movie (with Michael Keaton) here and the last movie I saw here was Rocky 5, about a month before I moved to Southern California. Although it wasn’t my favorite place, I actually liked it better than the Northwest 9 inside the mall.
I went to this theater many times while living in the Brea/Fullerton area (1991-1996) and actually liked it a lot. It was way better than the 4 screener in Brea Mall, which was a total dump, and the Brea Plaza 5, which was OK, but just wasn’t as nice or comfortable. From what I have read from other sources, this theater was stuck with a bad lease, which prevented them from showing matinees, or something like that. Combine that with Edwards opening a 10-screen and 12-screen theater in the new Downtown Brea, and that should explain why this place eventually closed.
@Cholla: I know the I-44 was a storage lot for trucks and trailers for a while after it closed…and there may have been another business operating out of the lot for a while, but I don’t remember a swap meet ever being there. But that’s just my recollection…maybe someone else can confirm or set the record straight.
Piccione Enterprises…weren’t they the same family that ran the Varsity Theater in U City? I believe Wehrenberg did booking for that theater, as well as the Apollo when Grace Piccione operated that place.
OK, one more thing: Had Regency Square Shopping Center been around in the 70s, I’m certain General Cinema would have put a theater there. That shopping center is the exactly the type of location GCC would have wanted and I’m certain they would have put at least 6 screens in it to compete with Cinema 4 Center. Just speculation on my part, but hey, it’s fun!
I went to this theater a lot, especially during my last two years in St. Louis (1989-1991) before I moved to Southern California. I lived in an apartment complex in St. Charles not far from this theater. In fact, during Christmas week of 1990, I had the whole week off from work, so I went to a movie every day of that week at the Regency Square…even driving through snow!! CSW is correct: a 24 Hour Fitness now occupies the building. It was a VERY popular theater for its entire existence. Too bad it closed.
Valid point, Chris…although, to be fair, I believe Wehrenberg continued that tradition after they took over the St. Ann 4 Screen…which, of course, wasn’t for very long.
I live very close to this theater, but the mall where it’s located is in big trouble. There are lots of vacancies, most notable the entire upstairs food court. Everything is closed (including the Walden Books) and you can’t even use the escalators to get up there anymore. I even heard the Disney Store there closed recently. If that type of store closes, you know things are bad.
This theater recently installed Digital 3D equipment and raised its discount price to $7 for movies before 6 PM. I go here once in a while, but it’s not my favorite theater. We’ll see how much longer it and the mall can hold on.
I went to this theater one time in 1999…and it was a very memorable night! A whole bunch of friends from my church singles group decided to get off work early and go see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on opening night. We all got there early, grabbed dinner at the Yoshinoya across the street, then sat in line for a while eating dinner so we could be first to get tickets. It was just a fun evening out for a bunch of friends who were Star Wars geeks!! I also thought it was totally cool there was an old school single-screen theater still around. I agree with the other comments: The seats were VERY comfortable and the old 70mm screen really made the movie even more memorable…that and grabbing pizza at The Pizza Haus afterward. Great memories!!
Saw several movies here including Deep Blue Sea and Minority Report. But my best memory of this theater was when I saw The Incredibles…it was the second date with the woman who is now my wife!!
Based on a little research on Google Maps, I think the address given for this theater is 416 North Truman Boulevard. I think it should be changed to 416 SOUTH Truman Boulevard. Check it out on Google Maps and I think you’ll see why.
@oceantracks: I believe you might be thinking of the South County Cinema that was in South County Center. That theater WAS run by General Cinema from its opening until it was closed and torn down. Here’s that theater’s page on this site: South County Cinema
Thanks, Norm…while we’re at it, the 66 Park-In was run by Wehrenberg, except for its first year of operation (1948), but it was still never run by General Cinema.
The last movie I saw at Cinema 4 was The Great Mouse Detective. According to imdb.com, that movie was released in 1986. So that means I saw my last film at C4C about a year before it closed down for good. Sad to see the place go, but glad I have a good memory of my final movie there. Never forget that place…
Let me try that link again: Kenrick becomes WalMart
It looks like the Kenrick Cine is going to become a Walmart. Here’s the story from the Post-Dispatch: [(http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/shrewsbury-board-gives-nod-to-walmart/article_6a81eb81-58ab-52ac-9b82-2276da1f0b74.html)]
@Jmiller: “The Swarm” was one of the most hyped pictures I can remember (there were full page color ads in the Globe-Democrat about 1-2 months before it opened saying “The Swarm is coming!”…but like you said, once it opened, it turned out to be an epic flop!!! Right up there with Heaven’s Gate as one of the worst big-budget movie disasters of all time!
Following up my recent post on the Westport Cine, I believe the Alton was one of the few theaters that didn’t have a box office. You bought your tickets at the front of the concession stand as you went in the building. The Westport Cine had a similar setup. Can anyone confirm?
As I recall, this was one of the few movie theaters that didn’t have a box office. You bought your tickets at the front of the concession stand after you went in. I believe the Alton Cine had a similar “no box office” setup. Can anyone confirm?
I went to this theater a few times. Saw the first Batman movie (with Michael Keaton) here and the last movie I saw here was Rocky 5, about a month before I moved to Southern California. Although it wasn’t my favorite place, I actually liked it better than the Northwest 9 inside the mall.
Is that the theater’s original marquee on the left of this pic?
I went to this theater many times while living in the Brea/Fullerton area (1991-1996) and actually liked it a lot. It was way better than the 4 screener in Brea Mall, which was a total dump, and the Brea Plaza 5, which was OK, but just wasn’t as nice or comfortable. From what I have read from other sources, this theater was stuck with a bad lease, which prevented them from showing matinees, or something like that. Combine that with Edwards opening a 10-screen and 12-screen theater in the new Downtown Brea, and that should explain why this place eventually closed.
The only movie I ever saw here was “Star Wars”.
@Cholla: I know the I-44 was a storage lot for trucks and trailers for a while after it closed…and there may have been another business operating out of the lot for a while, but I don’t remember a swap meet ever being there. But that’s just my recollection…maybe someone else can confirm or set the record straight.
Piccione Enterprises…weren’t they the same family that ran the Varsity Theater in U City? I believe Wehrenberg did booking for that theater, as well as the Apollo when Grace Piccione operated that place.
Did BAC eventually take over this theater?
Let’s see: I saw Edward Scissorhands, Misery, Kindergarten Cop, Look Who’s Talking Too, and…can’t remember the other one…
OK, one more thing: Had Regency Square Shopping Center been around in the 70s, I’m certain General Cinema would have put a theater there. That shopping center is the exactly the type of location GCC would have wanted and I’m certain they would have put at least 6 screens in it to compete with Cinema 4 Center. Just speculation on my part, but hey, it’s fun!
I went to this theater a lot, especially during my last two years in St. Louis (1989-1991) before I moved to Southern California. I lived in an apartment complex in St. Charles not far from this theater. In fact, during Christmas week of 1990, I had the whole week off from work, so I went to a movie every day of that week at the Regency Square…even driving through snow!! CSW is correct: a 24 Hour Fitness now occupies the building. It was a VERY popular theater for its entire existence. Too bad it closed.
One regret that I have is that I never made it to the Creve Coeur. Really wish I had
Valid point, Chris…although, to be fair, I believe Wehrenberg continued that tradition after they took over the St. Ann 4 Screen…which, of course, wasn’t for very long.
I live very close to this theater, but the mall where it’s located is in big trouble. There are lots of vacancies, most notable the entire upstairs food court. Everything is closed (including the Walden Books) and you can’t even use the escalators to get up there anymore. I even heard the Disney Store there closed recently. If that type of store closes, you know things are bad.
This theater recently installed Digital 3D equipment and raised its discount price to $7 for movies before 6 PM. I go here once in a while, but it’s not my favorite theater. We’ll see how much longer it and the mall can hold on.
I went to this theater one time in 1999…and it was a very memorable night! A whole bunch of friends from my church singles group decided to get off work early and go see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on opening night. We all got there early, grabbed dinner at the Yoshinoya across the street, then sat in line for a while eating dinner so we could be first to get tickets. It was just a fun evening out for a bunch of friends who were Star Wars geeks!! I also thought it was totally cool there was an old school single-screen theater still around. I agree with the other comments: The seats were VERY comfortable and the old 70mm screen really made the movie even more memorable…that and grabbing pizza at The Pizza Haus afterward. Great memories!!
Saw several movies here including Deep Blue Sea and Minority Report. But my best memory of this theater was when I saw The Incredibles…it was the second date with the woman who is now my wife!!
Based on a little research on Google Maps, I think the address given for this theater is 416 North Truman Boulevard. I think it should be changed to 416 SOUTH Truman Boulevard. Check it out on Google Maps and I think you’ll see why.
Wow…two weeks sooner than originally thought…So Long, Crestwood Plaza…and thanks for the memories…
@oceantracks: I believe you might be thinking of the South County Cinema that was in South County Center. That theater WAS run by General Cinema from its opening until it was closed and torn down. Here’s that theater’s page on this site: South County Cinema
Thanks, Norm…while we’re at it, the 66 Park-In was run by Wehrenberg, except for its first year of operation (1948), but it was still never run by General Cinema.
The last movie I saw at Cinema 4 was The Great Mouse Detective. According to imdb.com, that movie was released in 1986. So that means I saw my last film at C4C about a year before it closed down for good. Sad to see the place go, but glad I have a good memory of my final movie there. Never forget that place…