Ocean County Mall Cinema
1201 Hooper Avenue,
Toms River,
NJ
08753
1201 Hooper Avenue,
Toms River,
NJ
08753
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Benihanna now open. Theatre used to have an upstairs restroom. Don’t know what happened to that space. May have removed second floor when it was gutted.
The space for this theater is now currently being converted into a Benihanna restaurant …
Saw several movies here while ‘down the shore’ as a youth, most memorably Red Dawn, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and A View to a Kill. Also saw some bad ones like European Vacation and The Man With One Red Shoe. Three theaters were side to side and I don’t recall any differences between them.
Nothing has occupied the space as of late 2006. The doors by the new Burger King and Friendly’s are there, but the lights in the hall are off, so you can’t really see in. The side by the Applebee’s is covered up by a wall.
Here is a marquee photo:
View link
Applebees did not replace the movie theatre, it is across the hall. Applebees replaced Burger King and Optical World. The new Burger King is around the corner by Sears and Friendly’s.
It was a General Cinema theatre which closed in the summer of 1997, then it reopened in the winter of 1998 as a Cinemagic Discount theatre, which closed again in September of 2002. It has been closed since.
I have not been there since November of 2002, does anyone know what replaced the movie theatre or does it still have the barricade covering up the front?
General Cinemas. This one was a GC. I think when the lease expired it was aquired by Cinemagic, who opperated discount houses in the area. It closed sometime I think before or around 2000. I’m not from the area so I don’t know when GC stopped operating it, but it was diffinatly before the days of the AMC take over.
Okay McGarrett. I’ll add this puppy before I forget all about it.
LM: I think that you have enough information to ‘book it Danno’!
PS – I have a 1991 NJ newspaper that can provide the theater chain information. My guess is GC or AMC.
Something else that I found dated 1999:
“Starwood Heller plans to acquire Seaview Square in Ocean Township, NJ from Equitable Real Estate Investment Management Inc. The 800,000 sq.ft. project, anchored by Sears and Value City, has been largely vacant since Stern’s and a movie theater closed in 1996. Speculation is that Starwood Heller will tear down the mall, with the exception of the two anchor stores, and build a power center anchored by Target and Lowe’s”.
This is what I found so far. The Seaview Square Cinema was in the Seaview Square Mall. It was located near Sterns. The theater closed in 1996. The Mall is listed as being built around 1977 so I assume the theater was built around that time also.
There was a Seaview Square Mall in Neptune. It is now a shopping center (Target, Costco, etc.). Perhaps there is a link between the two (PS Asbury Park is not too far away)
TC….I came across another Jersey theater called Seaview Square Cinema in Asbury Park. Do you know anything about this theater?
This mall opened in 1976.
Yep. General Cinema design with three large screens, the space is now occupied by Applebees.
Amazing it hung after Loews opened the Seacourt 10 literally across the street. I remember the design had bathrooms on the second floor. They also showed art films and Disney/Touchstone products to combat Loews/Sony.
This place was quite nice I remember (I was only there once)– a typical General Cinema. I miss them.
When you do a movie search for this theater, the name of this theater is listed as Cinemagic’s Discount Theater at Ocean County Mall. The message “Showtimes Not Available” also appears so this theater might be closed.
Is it still open? If so, who’s running it, AMC or someone else?
The address for this theater is:
1201 Hooper Ave.
Toms River, NJ 08753
Listed as a triplex in the 1/17/91 edition of the Star Ledger.
This needs to be listed under General Cinema.