Kress Cinemas
174 Kamehameha Avenue,
Hilo,
HI
96720
174 Kamehameha Avenue,
Hilo,
HI
96720
1 person
favorited this theater
Opened in 1932, in downtown Hilo, the S.H. Kress Department Store was a longtime fixture on Kemehameha Avenue until it closed in the 80s. The store, notable for its beautiful Art Deco multi-colored terra-cotta facade and its two-story tall “Kress” vertical sign, was converted into a movie theater in 1995, six years after downtown Hilo’s last movie house was shuttered.
The Wallace Theaters chain turned the upper two floors of the old department store into four auditoriums screening first-run and the ocassional art films.
Contributed by
Bryan
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 7 comments)
Here is a photo of the Kress Cinemas in Hilo.
This is a 2007 photo of the Kress Cinemas.
A 2008 close-up view can be seen here.
I was the opening manager for this complex, and it really is a shame to see it in the condition it is in today. In its early days it was the largest complex on Big Island, and the only one with Digital Sound. It truly is a beautiful little theatre…wood floors, tin roof and all! It will be a real heart breaker when this one goes dark.
Here is a 2008 B&W photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yekaewn
The Kress is now a sub run with discount prices ranging from $1.00 to $1.50.
2009 photo of the Kress Cinemas.
View link