Forest Theatre

Watch the Henry Fonda movie "Madigan" (1968) and you will see the concession stand at the rear of the auditorium of the old Edison Theatre in New York.

The Forst is closing for good after it's Thursday February 26 showing. The building is for sale, but as of now there have been no offers. The theatreowner expects whomever he sells it to will probably knock it down.

The Forest is closing for good after it's Thursday February 26 showing. The building is for sale, but as of now there have been no offers. The theatreowner expects whomever he sells it to will probably knock it down.

Would this theatre survive showing art films?

No, it wouldn't, Robert. It is close to New Haven where Yale University is, but New Haven already has a 3-screen art house cinema and a 4-screen subrun art house cinema. also a 5-screen art house is currently under construction in downtown New Haven, so that market is saturated.

West Haven, where the Forest is located, is a working class community of over 50,000 people. The current owner has usually booked movies featuring African-Americans to try to draw in that segment of the population.

If I were to own this theatre here would be my plan for it:

1. Move the video games and concession stand out of the auditorium. Expand the lobby by taking the former ice cream parlor to the left and put the concession stand there. Take the storefront to the right and put the video games in there. This arcade could even by open during non-cinema hours.

2. A 600 seat auditorium is way too big for a subrun theatre. Divide it into two 250 seat auditoriums. Or if the space and configuration is right for it, triplex it into three 150-175 seat auditoriums. Whatever happens the auditorium needs a lot of renovation to make this facility first class.

3. The current practice is booking one film each week and running it a few times per day. A successful subrun needs variety. I would book 3 films per week and run each one once per day at 5:00, 7:00, and 9:00, with maybe an additional children's film showing as a weekend matinee at 1:00 and 3:00.

I do not know how successful the theatre is at the moment since the owner is leaving for medical reasons (he has to go to Germany for treatment of an illness) rather than financial ones. But I believe with the three strategies I outlined above implemented that this theatre would survive as a subrun.

Great plans Roger, if there is a buyer you should present them with that information, it could save it.

Just happen to see this while looking for movie theatres for sale...need to ask a couple of questions...hoping you can help.

Any idea (ballpark) how much $$$ the owner was wanting for it? What is the big brown building in the background of the picture? Why was he showing films mostly meant for blacks...is that the primary customer population or was this his marketing strategy (or were the movies cheaper to rent)?

I have left a message on the owner's voicemail inquiring as to the price. If it is reasonable I may just take the plunge myself, but I heard a couple of years ago that he was asking for a price that was "too high" to continue using the land for a cinema.

That "big brown building in the background" is the actual auditorium. The white building in front contains the theatre lobby and two storefronts.

The movies aimed at an African-American audience would not be cheaper to rent as they are still mainstream flicks (e.g. the final movie it is showing, barring ever reopening, is Love Don't Cost A Thing). The Forest is near the New Haven town line and this strategy was probably designed to draw the urban crowd. The University of New Haven, with 1800 students, is just a couple of blocks away, and maybe these movies interest them too.

Well, this theatre won't reopen.

I was in touch with the real estate agent who is marketing it. It cannot be sold for ten years because of "tax problems." For the theatre building which includes two storefronts, the lot to the left, the lot to the right, and the house next door they want $10,000 per month. That is WAY too pricey for anyone who hopes to keep it as a theatre. Ridiculous.

Need to update the site for this theatre showing the seating capacity of 600.

This theater would be worth waiting 10 years to buy. Please don't twin it. The screen and sound are of excellent quality, and the seating is of much better quality than other second run theaters. I only went there once, but that is because I was not a member of their target audience, and they didn't heat the building, at least not on the very cold evening that I attended. I don't see why the Forest couldn't be an art or first run theater. There is no cinematic competition in the immediate vicinity, and there ought to be options other than New Haven. Showing two good movies a week, together, would draw me in. It is quite amazing to walk in and look for the auditorium entrance, then to realize you are already in it. The realtor is the Proto Group, (203) 234-6371.

Meg,

I agree it would be a great theatre to save, but if it is unused for 10 years it will be in no shape to run movies, and it just isn't worth $10,000 per month to use as a cinema. The owner is right when he says that whoever buys it will probably demolish it. Economically it just isn't feasible. As for first run movies, a Showcase Cinemas multiplex is only 4 miles away, so that is not doable. The film distributors won't even permit the york Square 3 next to the Yale campus in downtown New Haven to have first run product (there is an ongoing lawsuit in that case) so the Forest wouldn't stand a chance. As for art films, with 12 screens in New Haven showing art movies (York Square 3, Cine 1-2-3-4, and the Criterion 5 which opens this fall) there isn't any chance of getting those either. Sub run split product on the single screen could possibly work, but twinning it would guarantee more success. Also, I'm not sure what seats you saw, but the ones I saw were dirty and many were missing their cushions. With renovations the theatre could be great again. Unfortunately, that isn't going to happen.

Does anyone have information on a drive-in theatre several blocks away from the Forrest? Its closed but the screen is still there.

It was called the Bowl Drive-In. The screen can be seen from I-95. I don't know when it closed, but it seems to be still in tact. Last time I drove by, the marquee was gone. Probably fell down.

Back in the 70's there was a minor league baseball park a few blocks from this drive in. From the last row of the stands you could see the movies on the screen. (No sound of course) There were still showing films there in 1982.

ANY THING NEW ON THIS THEATER???

It still sits there forlorn and crumbling.

could you rent out the stores to bring in income???

According to historian B.S. Goodkin's list of Connecticut theatres, the Forest opened on Christmas Eve, 1939, which is nine years later than reported in the introduction above.

Would the owner be willing to rent the forest? It would be an awesome place to host a church service. The Forest is just sitting there collecting dust. How sad. If the owner think this is possible, email me.

Thanks, Ed.

The 2 store fronts to this theatre are now empty the last being a flower store. I called the realtor who said they are hoping to have a letter of intent from a perspective buyer or leasee. When i asked about its possible use they said it was not a theatre. i put several calls to the owner who has not returned any of my calls.

There's a local indie movie that centers around the Forest. Aptly named, "Save The Forest". Link-> http://www.upontheroofproductions.com/videos.htm

Is the Forest still for sale if so who is the realtor and what is the correct address?

I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEASING THE THEATRE. RATHER THAN JUST LET IT SIT THERE, THE OWNER COULD GAIN SOME RENTAL INCOME. IT WOULD NEED SOME REPAIR, BUT I BELIEVE WE COULD GET IT BACK INTO REASONABLE SHAPE TO USE IT. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL - JLS14@NYU.EDU

if you have 10 grand to blow a month you can lease the theater 2 store fronts and 2 family house next to it they will not seperate them. they are waiting for a pharmacy to lease it. they already have a cvs across the street and a walgreens down the street. i already tried to work something out with the theater to no avail

My grandmother, Margaret Gibbons Collins, played organ (or piano) at the Forest during silent films. She seems to have led a tragic life, and most of her story is lost. I'm trying to get whatever info on her I can. Can anyone point me toward a history of the Forest. Any chance there are old payroll records or photos anywhere? I'd be very grateful for any leads.

I think Roger Katz is wrong with his assessment "It is struggling to stay in business as are most sub run theatres nowadays". This place is a dump. Go to the website cinematour.com and you will see more pictures of this place. Tell me would you really want to see a movie in this place? Does it look inviting to you? This is why it is or I should say was struggling.

i love this theater and its set up , it does need a make over but i think this house could be a break even house. Anyone going into a single or twin in 2006 should no that breaking even is the best you can hope for.

does anyone know a number to reach for possibly seeing the price for this building?

I went by it last week. It does NOT look like the facade on this page. There's a single chain link stretching to the right, but you can step over it. The front is boarded up, but you can see the movie poster holders, still. It almost looks like some sort of factory. Around the right and down 15 feet is small cinder block shed with brick on top and there's a small hole in the wall that's almost enough to slide in. There's pipes inside and a door to the left, hopefully still open. There are metal rails on the windows in front, and I believe they are the originals.

What is everyones take on possibly purchasing the theater and tailoring it more to the college crowd from the university right next door. You could add ameneties that college students would appreciate alot more. Also, would adding events such as plays or concerts along with the movies be a feasible idea. I am a student at the university and there is nothing within walking distance of the school to do. Does anyone think this idea will work? Also Would getting investors or donations to contribute to the upkeep and purchase of the theater a good idea? Please get back to me on comments, i am very interested in bringing this ytheater back to a working form and am an eagle scout. I look forward to everyones opinion. Curretnyl im working on a survery to send to my fellow students to gauge what their interest would be in attending the theater again and if it is worth it. Thank you

I used to live nearby. When I was in High School (late 80s) I would always see what was playing at the Forest. They would show films that were already out in video. But we went because the atmosphere of the cinema was great. I think the cost was around $3.00. A little old lady sat in the front booth and sold the tickets, we'd walk in the doors and an old man would take the ticket back. He didn't give you a stub or stamp your hand. First thing you'd see was the consession stand within the theater. You'd never miss a moment of the film if you wanted refreshments during the film. They didn't show previews or advertisements. They just started the film. The chairs were all on a level floor. They had 4 or 6 ceiling fans (which look to be gone by the time the photos in cinematour.com were taken). There was only one shop on the left of the entrance doors. The grounds around the building were paved with no landscaping. Two films that I remember seeing there were National Lampoon's European Vacation and Field of Dreams. The theater is not in a great location within the town, but it is near the University of New Haven. I haven't been back to West Haven in years, so I don't know what the status of the theater is now. Maybe you don't care about my reminiscences, but isn't it the nostalgia in all of us that makes us care about these old wonderful theaters?

This was the building in 2008.

What a shame that it sits there abandoned and derelict five years after closing. I know people who wanted to lease and reopen it after it closed, but the owners said no. Now its probably too late to do so without major renovation work.

The theater has been sold to a developer and will probably be demoished. Article here: http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/11/08/news/doc4af650e61b185657903805.txt

Thanx for beating me to it!