Newtowne 1 & 2
Statesville,
NC
3 people
favorited this theater
Newtowne is a very long, brick-filled, former one screen theater split into two screens.
The building looks as though it was part of a factory.
The only outside highlights are huge poster frames and the marquee of the building. Even the pillars on the front of the building are brick.
Over the years, the interior has been remodeled and the Art Deco concession stand has been painted over and stripped of its former metallic accents. In a few sections of the lobby, you can also see where the carpet is covering up a rather nice wooden floor.
The box office has also been stripped to nothing but a bare floor, an old counter top, a torn ‘CLOSED’ curtain, and a michrophone with a short in it.
What business was left after the opening of AM Star and Eastern Federal megaplexes down the road, in Mooresville and Hunterville, was eaten up by a sister theater across the highway.
Contributed by
UAGirl
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
Here is another photo of the Newtowne theater.
I know a little about the Newtowne, having worked there in the 1970s. Originally a single screen, the projection room seemed to have been laid out with twinning in mind from the beginning .. always seemed to be huge. The original projectors were carbon arc. The concession stand was long and narrow.
I don’t remember it ever having a wooden floor, however.
Could the booth just have been set-up as a single screen theatre “changeover” house (two projectors projecting onto one screen one projector at a time, no platters)? Was it run by Carmike?
I was projectionist at the NEWTOWNE in 1969. It was owned and operated by STATESVILLE THEATRE CORPORATION, who later sold it STEWART-EVERETTE THEATRES.
When it was a single house, it had dual carbon arc projectors. The platters probably replaced the original equipment when they twinned (and ruined) the theater.
1984 photo of the Newtowne Theatre.
View link
Does anyone know if this theater is for sale? I cannot find any information about it.
From what I found Carmike operated the Newtowne from 1986 until it closed in 2000.
I Don’t have a problem with Twin Theatres if they are built from the ground like RMC said twinning a single house ruins a theatre I also think a Marquee is always needed.
wow, it lasted till 2000. 84 photo shows that it played the Burt Reynolds movie the man who loved women.
Passed by it on the interstate yesterday morning. Looks like nothing has changed.