Merle Hay Mall Cinema

3800 Merle Hay Road,
Des Moines, IA 50310

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Carmike Cinemas, Tri-State Theaters

Architects: Henry George Greene

Previous Names: Merle Hay Plaza Theater

Nearby Theaters

Merle Hay Mall Cinema (Formerly Plaza III), Des Moines, IA

The Merle Hay Plaza Theater was opened by Tri-State Theatres on January 28, 1966 with Richard Burton in “The Spy Who Came In From the Cold”. It was equipped to screen 35mm, CinemaScope, 70mm, Todd-AO and single strip Cinerama. It was closed in the late-1980’s. It reopened a few years later as the Merle Hay Mall Cinema. It was closed December 15, 2014.

(Not to be confused with the Flix Brewhouse which opened in the Merle Hay Mall on December 17, 2014 and has its own page on Cinema Treasures).

Contributed by Mike Geater

Recent comments (view all 14 comments)

Logan5
Logan5 on January 28, 2012 at 12:36 am

The Merle Hay Mall Cinema was formerly the “Plaza Theatre” – when it opened c. 1967.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 25, 2012 at 6:32 pm

This opened as Plaza on January 28th, 1966. I uploaded it’s grand opening ad in the photo section.

rayman29
rayman29 on May 27, 2013 at 10:25 am

I am sad that this theatre will close. The new theatre at Merle hay sounds nice, but this has such a great sized screen. Sad to see another single screen theatre with a big screen go away. I wonder what they will do with the space once it closes.

Chris1982
Chris1982 on November 13, 2014 at 1:58 am

This theatre should be listed as closed.

rayman29
rayman29 on December 4, 2014 at 10:58 pm

The theatre is still open for a little over another week. Their last day is December 15th. Wish I could make it, but I’ll be too late. I don’t want to see Hunger Games, but since I won’t make it anyway the point is moot. It would be cool to buy one of the seats.

https://www.facebook.com/merlehaymallcinema?hc_location=timeline

Chris1982
Chris1982 on December 16, 2014 at 12:07 am

Tri States Theatres opened this theatre.

Logan5
Logan5 on June 8, 2016 at 6:22 pm

Des Moines Register article about the 2014 closing: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/daniel-finney/2014/12/13/merle-hay-cinema-closing/20361003

Mike Gallagher
Mike Gallagher on October 2, 2017 at 11:31 am

What is the current status of this wonderful big screen theater? I am still angry that the River Hills and Reviera are both gone. Don’t get me started about the Paramount downtown. Has the MH Cinema been stripped out completely? Is it even still standing?

rayman29
rayman29 on October 2, 2017 at 12:44 pm

The space is vacant, but the building is still standing. To the best of my knowledge, the chairs were sold, but I’m not sure about the projector or the rest of the theatre.

MSC77
MSC77 on October 24, 2022 at 6:13 pm

A chronology of 70mm presentation history in Des Moines has recently been published. The Plaza / Merle Hay Mall is mentioned numerous times.

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