167th Street Twins

The copy above should have mentioned that this was a Loews house from the period when the Westchester, 170th Street, Riviera, Bay Harbor, Lauderhill and, eventually the short-lived Konover, made the Loews name well known in South Florida.

Is the Wometco a different theater?
http://tinyurl.com/2bokwn

Yes, the Wometco was at 163rd Street.

Also showed Raider of the Lost Ark, Star Trek II, Black Stallion, Incredible Machine, and Superman II. Also was the first movie theater I saw a filmed local advertisement at before the movie started (1970s - WPLG News crew playing instruments).

167THSTREET THEATRE CLOSES
Miami Herald, The (FL) - September 13, 1990

Author: OLYMPIA ROSS Herald Staff Writer

The name of the movie was Pump Up The Volume, but the staff at the 167thStreet Theatre in North Miami Beach turned down the sound, dimmed the lights and closed the door on the movie house for good Sunday night.

It was the last night the 22-year-old theater would show films. The other feature was Air America.

" Twin theaters are almost like dinosaurs now," said Michael Brown, president of Wometco Enterprises Inc., which owned the theater. "It's very hard for them to compete with multiplex theaters."

Brown said heavy competition and low profits contributed to the decision to close the theater.

On Monday, employees stacked the big red letters that once hung from the marquee on 167thStreet and Northeast Second Avenue. Today, the marquee is bare and a "For Sale" sign stands next to it.

"The value of the property along that strip is increasing," said Brown. "Unfortunately, the property became more valuable for real estate than for a theater."

A buyer has not been found for the property, which the county valued at $1.1 million in the 1990 property tax assessment. Brown is asking about $2 million.

The theater was among the few remaining twin -screen movie houses in Northeast Dade. Newer theaters have six, eight and even 10 screens.

One auditorium of the 167thStreet Theatre seated 800 people, and the other seated 400 people. Brown said the theater's size wasn't always an asset.

Multiplex theaters have more variety in selecting movies and, consequently, a greater chance of turning a profit, said Brown. For the last year, the theater has been operating "marginally," he said.

Converting the theater into a multiplex theater was not an option because of inadequate parking.

Brown said Wometco decided to close the theater now because of low attendance expected in coming months. Traditionally, September, October and November are poor months for any theater, he said.

"There just wasn't a lot we could do with a twin theater there," said Brown. "The movie business is pretty tricky."

Remember getting there early, buying my ticket and go next door to the Spec's record store. What memories! Also, just down the street my parents would take us to Figaro's Pizza. Loved that place!

The address was 295 NE 167th street.

Figaros Pizza! they played 3 stooges movies and had a mighty mouse cartoon box! also, coney island hot dog across the street! big folks, little folks hair cut place that served popcorn with your haircut?! does anybody know where i can find pictures of the inside of the 163rd street mall from the 1980's?

This is as close as I got, amyd.

http://www.pbase.com/image/80670007

Thanks AlAlvarez! I saw that one too...I wish I would of taken more pictures of back in the day! :) Who knew I'd be so nostalgic!

Actually in the film MAKING MR. RIGHT from 1987. They filmed inside the mall and you're also able to see the front of the actual 163rd STREET theater from inside the garage looking out at the beginning of the mall scenes. The marquee reads THE PARENT TRAP.

While it may not be the greatest look at the mall, I think it may be the only cinematic document of how it existed circa the late 80's other than local news.