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Abandoned DC move-over house to reopen as new art-house this fall!
posted by
westendcinema
on
July 28, 2010 at 3:55 pm
WASHINGTON, DC — I have recently leased the old Inner Circle 5, 6, 7 space in Washington, DC and will reopen it as the West End Cinema — a three-screen art-house movie theater — this fall.
The old Inner Circle was a move-over house opened in 1985 at 23rd and M Streets, as a sister venue to the Circle 1 -4, which was located a block south on 23rd (in a building that was torn down to build the Ritz Carlton residences). The 5, 6, 7, which I leased, is in a multi-use building and was never demolished — in fact, it still has the projector systems, platters, sound systems, screens, seats and concessions line exactly where they were when the theater closed in late 2003/early 2004.
I look forward to moving this theater from the “old” listings to the “new” listings on Cinema Treasures soon!
Comments (7)
Congratulations! Was this theater the one where in one auditorium there is a building beam or column that obstructs the view to the screen?
How do you think you are going to fare against Landmark and AMC’s Georgetown 14 that sometimes books art house films? How are you going to differentiate between those two giants? Do you plan on remodeling/upgrading the systems there? If so, what is the plan?
Good luck with your new venture. I have fond memories of DC from the mid 90s and have to believe that it is a market with potential now that the Dupont (5 tiny rooms that were always full), Key, Biograph, the “hainous” Janus with the pillar down the middle, the discounted Foundry are gone…While the West End is not the easiest location, it is a walkable distance from both Georgetown and Dupont…Now all you need is distributors to play ball, and the engagement of film clubs (another thing that was special about DC)
It’s great to see cinemas come back!
maybe now we will see more of those films that seem to play only in New York city – can’t wai!
DC also had Tenley Circle, Janus, Cerberus, Cinema, Fine Arts,
Outer Circle, the MacArthur and the Embassy….are a part of the DC movie theatre history that I remember from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Wasn’t the Jenifer part of those DC movie theatres as well…I knew it was not part of K-B,but it was operated under General Cinema.
Congratulations Josh. All the best!
yes the Jenifer was part of the ‘DC movie theatre’ scene – it was at Wisconsin Ave and Jenifer St. where the Booeymongers and Filene’s Basement is – I thought GC owned the Mazza theatres. Initially those theatres (3 screens) were in the basement of the Galleria.
GCC opened the current Mazza Galleria, not the prior downstairs triplex as my Intro states;
/theaters/14856/
GCC also opened & operated the Jenifer, but in its later years, others operated it. I saw movies in all three venues.