Rockville Centre Cinema
340 Sunrise Highway,
Rockville Centre,
NY
11570
340 Sunrise Highway,
Rockville Centre,
NY
11570
5 people
favorited this theater
Twin cinema that has a great marquee as long as the whole front of the building. This was one of the real early twins that had not only a wall down the middle of the cinema, but also in the lobby. You could not switch auditoriums because each side had its own ticket booth, bathrooms and concession stand. The lobby is now one again. The theater closed in January 2006, and after years standing empty, it was demolished in May 2013.
Contributed by
Robert R
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 116 comments)
Would love to see someone buy it, fix it up and run the theater as an independent owner.
I can’t believe this place is still sitting empty.
http://cdm15281.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15281coll32/id/37/rec/229
Years before this theater closed, my Mother told me that it had been a TSS (Time Square Stores). I found it interesting that a store would close and be replaced by a movie theater. Nowadays, it’s the other way around. The link in this post shows the TSS store circa 1940 and it is right where this theater used to be.
Great image. Looks like pretty much every building in that photo has been replaced, with the exception of the structure on the far right along the same block front as the TSS. I believe that is where Kollner Prime Meats is located today.
Still very surprised this property is still available. I still think it would be kind of neat to have someone independently fix it up and make it a theater again. However, I am not sure a twin theater can really be profitable anymore.
This theatre was making money until it closed but AMC would not continue to operate a twin. The only competition is the 5 screen Fantasy. The problem is the bank owns the building and wants so much money to take it over. They only allow matiness on Sat & Sun because they share the parking lot. I guess its more profitable for them to let it sit empty 6 years then to lower the rent.
Many theatres never did weekday matinees. In the day Century always had continuous performances from 1PM. In the end this policy was abandoned and matinees were only on weekends. The Regal multiplex in Ronkonkoma doesn’t do matinees. I don’t imagine too many theatres do.
From my childhood days, many years ago, I remember that Prudential, which pretty much ruled Suffolk County didn’t do weekday matinees except in the Summer if it was raining. I always thought that was interesting.
ANY UPDATES ON THIS??
Looks like a restaurant is coming to the old location:
http://rockvillecentre.patch.com/articles/bonefish-grill-approved-to-replace-rko-theater#comments_list
Passed by yesterday. They are taking the building down.