Century's Station Theatre

robboehm on May 11, 2010 at 1:01 pm

The Huntington Station Theatre, that’s what the marquee said, was demolished about the time of, or in conjunction with, an urban renewal project which also resulted in the building of a large, combination, condo and housing project across New York Avenue (on the Western side).

robboehm on February 20, 2009 at 5:08 pm

The marquee said Huntington Station, not Station which made it a pretty long marquee. Early ads referred to it by its full name, subsequently abbreviated to Huntington Sta. and, finally Station. It always seems to be a crap shot looking some of these things up when the name it, outright wrong, such as this, or a name has changed and one of the names, only comes up e.g. The Regents in Bay Shore is listed under its current identity Boulton Center. And, nowhere in the comments mention when it was Hollyrock. Similarly, the theatre listed as Old Bethpage began it’s life as Bethview, then Cine Capri, then Old Bethpage and, finally CAP, a live theatre group.

lostmemory on June 13, 2007 at 10:34 am

Thanks. There are three theaters listed here for New York Avenue in Huntington. This theater, Century’s York and the IMAC Theater. The Times story must be about the IMAC Theater which is here:

/theaters/6851/

lostmemory on June 12, 2007 at 2:44 pm

BANDITS KILL OFFICER IN CROWDED THEATRE; Constable in Movie Audience at Huntington, L.I., Fatally Shot, Watchman Wounded. GANG SURPRISED AT SAFE Gunmen, Who Paid Their Way In, Fire Among 2,000 at Show in Making Escape. CONSTABLE SLAIN IN CROWDED MOVIE

NY Times September 25, 1932

HUNTINGTON, L.I., Sept. 24. — Four robbers who paid their way tonight into the Huntington Theatre and then attempted to loot the safe in the manager’s office shot their way to freedom when they were surprised at the safe.

I assume that its this theater. The full article gives the location of the theater as New York Avenue.

Warren G. Harris on September 25, 2006 at 10:00 am

The Station Theatre’s marquee can be seen in the center background of this copy of an already fuzzy photo in a book about the history of Huntington Station. The author said it was the only image of the theatre that he could find. I hope that something better eventually turns up:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/censtation.jpg

lostmemory on August 7, 2006 at 10:49 am

I guess that its too late to ask now. :) So Century pretty much controlled the entertainment (movies and bowling) in Huntington and other parts of L.I. I found one more NY Times article that mentions RKO Century. It concerns the takeover by Cineplex Odeon of the RKO Century theaters and the Walter Reade theater chain.

A Growing Empire

NINA DARNTON
Published: June 5, 1987

“A Canadian company, Cineplex Odeon, is making significant inroads into the movie theater business in the United States. It is building new theaters and theater complexes in major cities and buying and renovating old and established ones. In terms of the number of screens owned, Cineplex Odeon has become the second largest movie theater company in North America, with United Artists No. 1.

Already a strong presence in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Chicago and other cities, Cineplex Odeon is now making its mark in New York. The company bought the RKO Century Warner Theaters last fall, and has recently agreed to purchase the 11 screens of the Walter Reade theater chain, which would give it about 30 screens in Manhattan. It will own such theaters as the Baronet, Coronet, Ziegfeld and Waverly, and is already operating Cinemas 1 and 2, the Manhattan Cinemas 1 and 2, the Carnegie Hall Cinema, the Sutton, the Paris, the Plaza, the Gramercy, Broadway’s National and Rialto theaters and many others. And Garth Drabinsky, Cineplex Odeon’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, says he plans to renovate and upgrade all of them. The company has already started – in some cases completed – its extensive renovations and before the end of June four theaters containing six screens are to reopen. Each will be equipped with plush seating, customized wool carpets, marble floored lobbies and Dolby Stereo sound systems. The newly spruced up and renamed Cineplex Odeon Manhattan Cinemas 1 and 2 open today, both showing ‘'Beverly Hill Cops II.’‘ ’‘Every theater that we are involved in will have a new environment within two years,’‘ Mr. Drabinsky said.

Perhaps the most awaited opening for New Yorkers will be the Carnegie Hall Cinema, which has been dark for 18 months. It is to reopen on June 19, showing the British film ‘'Withnail and I.’‘ According to Mr. Drabinsky, the 1891 theater has undergone a $1 million renovation) in such a way as to preserve its original look and feel. A small lounge area has been introduced where cafe-style food and drinks will be served.

Cineplex Odeon has added another 75-seat screening room called the Carnegie Screening Room, which will run art films. ICN Bleecker Inc., which runs the Bleecker Street Cinemas, will do the programming. Its first offering, on June 26, is ‘'Sleepwalk,’‘ a first feature by Sara Driver.

Mr. Drabinsky said he had not yet decided whether to raise the entry price, but maintained that profits in such an enterprise are not made by ticket prices. ‘'We’re doing it because we believe we can capture a greater share of the market and be a more desired venue for distributors,’‘ he said. ’‘We want to entice the public to the theater and to become the premier showcase for quality pictures. Wherever we’ve done this, we notice a sharp increase in revenues even when marginal pictures are shown.’‘ He also said the renovations generated money from other sources, such as the upgraded candy counters or the sale of gourmet foods".

lostmemory on August 7, 2006 at 9:56 am

Thanks. So far these are the only stories that I found on Century and bowling alleys. The March 6, 1983 story was a reply to a February 20, 1983 story in the NY Times. Here is the original story:

POSTINGS; A HUNTINGTON SPLIT

“Andrew Varipapa, the 93-year-old legendary bowling champion, goes there three or four times a week ‘'to keep fit,’‘ he says. Century’s Huntington Lanes on Long Island are usually busy with both league players and occasional bowlers seeking just one of those high games that came so easily to Mr. Varipapa.

Come spring, however, they and Mr. Varipapa will have to bowl their 300 scores elsewhere. Waldbaum’s Supermarkets, the Long Island-based chain, has signed a contract to replace the lanes with a 44,000-square-foot store ‘'as soon as the spring bowling leagues end,’‘according to Aaron Malinsky, Waldbaum’s real-estate director.

Waldbaum’s has been looking for a site in Huntington Village for a long time, Mr. Malinsky said. Few sites with the necessary parking space exist in this built-up area, but the bowling center already has not only the necessary zoning but space for more than 200 cars.

In addition, Mr. Malinsky said, the bowling-alley site is attractive because ‘'people come into Huntington’s commercial center to do all kinds of shopping, and if they are offered a modern supermarket, we think they’ll grab the opportunity.’'

However, David Schaffer, a mechanic at the lanes, reports that about 4,000 people have signed a petition telling Waldbaum’s and Huntington Town officials that they do not think the town needs another supermarket. With the Century lanes gone, bowlers would have to travel to Commack, Syosset or East Northport to play.

But with tongue in cheek, Mr. Malinsky contended that Huntington had no supermarkets at present. Reminded that there is a Gristede’s, a King Kullen and an A.& P. within a mile of the bowling alley, he responded, ‘'In our opinion, those are grocery stores, not supermarkets.’‘ The town has issued a building permit and no other approvals are needed. But Mr. Schaffer says a committee has been formed to picket Waldbaum’s stores – and RKO-Century theaters as well.

Town records show that the bowling alley is owned by a realty corporation controlled by Century Circuit, which also owns the theaters. A Century spokesman said negotiations with Waldbaum’s were still in progress, but Mr. Malinsky said, ‘'Our contract is signed, sealed and delivered."

lostmemory on August 7, 2006 at 9:36 am

The following is from the NY Times dated March 6, 1983.

HUNTINGTON SPLIT

“As a league bowler at RKO Century Lanes in Hungtington and a shopper at one fo the Waldbaum supermarkets in the Huntington area, I am compelled to address myself to the situation presented by the impending purchase of the lanes by Waldbaum’s ("Huntington Split,” Feb. 20).

While Aaron Malinsky is quoted as saying that the site of the lanes is attractive because it is in the commercial center of the Village of Huntington, what he fails to acknowledge is the character fo the village, which is that of a small town, and the impact that a supermarket of the size of the three other Waldbaum’s in the area would have on it.

The other stores exist within driving distance of each other, accessible to most everyone in Huntington Village, Huntington Station, Greenlawn and East Northport, the latter three locations being those of the existing supermarkets.

Additionally, Mr. Malinsky shores up this argument (with tongue in cheek!) by stating that all of the supermarkets existing within the confines of the village are “grocery stores” – precisely what one would expect to find in a small town!

That the loss of the bowling alley would impact on more than the 4,000 league bowlers is understood by every resident of this area who is aware of the situation.

There is a game room inside the bowling alley which is heavily used by teens and does not pose any type of problem in terms of behavior.

In addition, the Huntington High School bowling team practices and holds many of its matches at these lanes precisely because they are located near engough to the high school.

There are also the junior and bantam leagues that meet on Saturdays and help to keep a large number of Huntington’s youth occupied in worthwhile pursuits.

There is no other bowling alley large enough or as centrally located in Huntington, and this one should remain as it serves its purposes admirably. Anne M. Moskoviz, Greenlawn, L.I.“.

Which former theater was this bowling alley located in?

longislandmovies on August 6, 2006 at 9:34 am

Does any one know did Century have any other Bowling allys other than Huntingon? (called ..Century Lanes)

lostmemory on August 6, 2006 at 8:48 am

The address should be Huntington Station. The zipcode is 11746.