Nova Theatre

The theater was purchased in the 1980’s by my mom and dad, Adriana and Ramon Nova. The very first movie we played was “The Fog” to a huge crowd. Later, we showed tons of kung-fu flicks and then split the theaters. One of my fondest memories is watching “Rocky” before we minimized the space and shadow boxing in the back with the ushers :] I miss the theater dearly…

it feels great to be part of a wonderful history, but at the time you don’t realize it. my mom and dad ran it like a mom and pop store: lots of love and dedication. i am the youngest of the Nova clan, so i saw things from the “bottom”, so to speak. my mom and dad came to America to work hard and raise their children with opportunities, and the Nova was the beginning of that dream so alot of hard work went into it. it was sad to see what went on under cover of cinema darkness and we tried to control as much as we could…but how do you stop a tornado? lol you can’t! so we rode the winds as best we could.

I’m really glad you joined the Cinema Treasures community, jnova; welcome aboard!

One question I asked a few years ago which, if anyone here can answer, it’s you: what was the layout of the interior of the Nova? I never had the privilege of seeing a film there but remember the downward floor just inside the entrance and the one-sheet cases along each wall.

thank you, everyone. i am honored :] when we first opened, the doors were the original brass, the concession stand was an island connected to the ticket booth at the top of the hill. there were huge doors leading into the inner theater and a long counter that spanned across the top, behind the last row. the seats were old red velvet and the original curtains were still there. the screen was HUUUUGGGEE!! it was beautiful and the first time i saw “the fog” at the tender age of 9 i can tell you i was in shock! lol that first night there was a huge fight afterwards (my brother, jesus was the projectionist in those first days and boy did he need to learn a few tricks! lol) and yes, my mom and dad (Adriana and Ramon) bought the theater with the money they had saved from all the jobs they held (simulataneously, sometimes) and then bought a few others. we also had the alpine theater, then located on broadway and dyckman, we sold it to mcdonalds and that’s how my parents got the money to move back to santo domingo when my dad fell ill. he entrusted the Nova to my brother, jesus, and that’s how it went…my brother was fresh out of college when they bought the Nova and i was 15 when we moved to santo domingo, 17 when i returned and worked there on and off until it closed. there were other theaters we bought and sold but it was a family business. i worked alongside everyone and i wouldn’t change that for the world :]

great stuff. having worked on a photo project in early 2000’s I have a nice continuation of photos that show: the old nova marquee (with an announcement of a wyclef concert and its last movie posters…Undisputed and fear dot com); the marquees removal revealing more bunny ornamentation; then the removal of that stone ornamentation and finally the whitewashing of the exterior and placement of 99cent sign; and eventual removal of the uppermost bunnies and bunny name. made barely recognizable in less than ten years after standing so many.