The Parkway Theatre closed on February 9, 1964 with Yul Bryner in “Kings of the Sun.” The demolition took place soon thereafter with a modern, Buddie Supermarket constructed on the site.
The Wedgwood Village shopping center was announced in 1956. It launched October 27, 1960 and was so successful that a one million dollar addition was announced in 1966 containing an Interstate Theatre. Both phases of the project were carried out by Kneer & Hamm Architects. The 966-seat Wedgwood Theatre opened April 6, 1967 with a three-day red carpet launch with “How to Succeed in Business Without Trying.” Director William Friedkin was in town promoting the World Premiere screenings of Sonny & Cher’s “Good Times” and made comments. It became the ABC Wedgwood Theatre 1&2 when ABC Theatres split the auditorium on February 25th, 1977. It became the Plitt Wedgwood 1&2 when Plitt took over the ABC circuit.
From 1983-1984, the viability of the Wedgwood was in severe jeopardy as a glut of multiplexes were being built just exits away as Loews opened the 6-screen 20 & 287 nearby in 1984 and already opened its Lincoln Square in 1983. UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. AMC had both Green Oaks and the nearby Hulen. It was the latter that rankled Plitt which had begun showing art films to good crowds, despite the competition, at the Wedgwood. AMC dedicated one of the Hulen screens to art cinema.
Plitt downgraded the Wedgwood to sub-run discount status in March of 1986 with $1 admission. Cinemark took on the venue in 1987 and would quadplex closing it four months beginning in April of 1988. It re-emerged as the Wedgwood 4 Theatre on August 5, 1988 and now had $1 movies and $1 movie rentals. Cinemark also created video rental locations in its Arlington and Belaire locations that it had also acquired from Plitt.
Cinemark dropped the theater at the end of a 30-year lease in March of 1997. The theatre would go independent under the banner of the Wedgwood Village 4 Theatre in April of 1997 under a 5-year leasing agreement. The theatre retained (or brought back) the video rentals. It closed as the Wedgwood Village 4 Theatre on March 31, 2002. It became an indy coffee house known as Artistic Blends Coffee House and Theater from 2004 to 2006 before closing. The space was then used by the Fountains Fellowship Church.
The Loews Lincoln Square opened June 17, 1983. It was part of a movie theater building explosion in a market that only had 4 movie theaters with a total of 20 screens in a population of around 200,000 residents. The mid-1980s was the era of the multiplex and for growing Arlington, Texas, four movie theater circuits were vying for the same zones. The newly created Interstate 20 was creating a retail nexus in South Arlington with exits from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie housing new build cinemas.
After Loews opened its Lincoln Square in 1983, UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. Loews launched the almost-identical 6-screen 20 & 287 in 1984. The UA Bowen 8 would be joined an exit to the West by the AMC Green Oaks, yet another eight-screen operation. Finally, General Cinema would open its eight-screener, the Arlington Park Square, in 1986 a few exits to the east as South Arlington was replete the multiplexes.
The marketplace changed markedly with the birth of the megaplex area. Grand Prairie got two with the UA and Cinemark multiplexes and just an exit outside of Arlington was the UA Eastchase opening in 1997. When AMC opened it AMC Parks in 2002, the remaining 1980s theaters were in retreat mode. Loews closed January 4, 2004. Loews would then close the 20 & 287 on January 30, 2004 completing its leasing term there.
Grandbury-based Great Texas Movie Company came to finish out a short-term lease at the Lincoln Square while trying to get a liquor license as part of its Movie Tavern line of theaters. It failed to get the license and only had a month-to-month leasing agreement that it carried on for one full year. It decided against creating a kitchen closing permanently on January 30, 2004. The theatre was emptied and demolished soon thereafter. A Studio Movie Grill was built elsewhere in the plaza in 2017.
The mid-1980s was the era of the multiplex and for growing Arlington, Texas, four movie theater circuits were vying for the same zones. For South Arlington, the newly created Interstate 20 would soon create a retail nexus in South Arlington and exits from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie would become a major cinema-going corridor and . UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. Loews launched the 6-screen 20 & 287 as well as the Lincoln Square a year earlier. The UA Bowen 8 opened in 1984 and would be joined by the AMC Green Oaks, yet another eight-screen operation opening just about a mile away on November 21, 1984. Finally, General Cinema would open its eight-screener, the Arlington Park Square, in 1986 a few exits to the east as South Arlington was replete the multiplexes.
The circuits competed for clearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. would come online within two years about two miles to the east. Up and down I-20, more theaters sprouted at exits such as the Cinemark Grand Prairie megaplex to the east, the Sony CityView at Bryant Irvin, et al. And by the mid-1990s, a new breed of megaplexes challenged the aging multiplexes.
AMC would close the Green Oaks in 1999 deciding against a lease renewal leaving at the 15-year point of a potential 30-year lease. It focuses on a new mall megaplex, the delayed AMC Parks that opened in 2002. Meanwhile, General Cinema would shutter all of its Tarrant County locations on October 5, 2000 including the nearby Arlington Park Square 8. Premier Theaters of Granbury took on a different complex, the Ridgmar Town Square, that allowed for pizza, appetizers and wine to be served in the complex becoming the Ridgmar Movie Tavern. It launched on November 16, 2001.
Deciding that similar magic could be found in the vacant AMC Green Oaks, the circuit completed a similar conversion creating the Movie Tavern at Green Oaks. It launched on July 12th, 2002 using it catchphrase of “Where movies never tasted so good.” A Movie Taverns would also be created at the Hulen Mall former UA Hulen 8 multiplex and Bedford’s Central Park 8 formerly of General Cinema and EFW operations. Movie Tavern claimed to be the originator of circuits that followed including Texas-based Studio Movie Grill and Alamo Drafthouse and AMC’s efforts with its Dine-In theatre locations and Cinemark experimenting with CUT!
Cinemark’s LeRoy Mitchell acquired the Movie Taverns but was forced to sell them when Cinemark took on the Rave Circuit due to competitive concerns. VSS-Southern Theatres bought the Movie Tavern circuit and opened the West 7th Theatre location. In November of 2018, Marcus obtained the VSS-Southern circuit and while the flagship Ridgmar would be shuttered, Green Oaks Movie Tavern was still functioning in the 2020s. Its name was changed to Movie Tavern by Marcus Green Oaks.
Hulen Mall opened theatreless in 1977. The UA Hulen Cinema 6 opened as an outparcel building just to southwest of Hulen Mall in 1979. In 1985, AMC announced its intention to move into the outparcel building called Loehmann’s Plaza anchored by Loehmann’s and joined by the Drug Emporium, Tippin’s Pies, and what on the drawing board as the AMC Loehmann’s 10. But while still in development, the project was soon renamed the AMC Hulen 10 Theatres located just about a mile to the south of the UA Hulen 6.
The AMC Hulen 10 launched December 13, 1985. To keep up with AMC — if not confuse potential moviegoers — UA would transform its Hulen operation to ten screens and the two co-existed as Hulen 10s. Box office personnel would constantly have to help customers with a courteous, “You want the other Hulen 10 theater a mile away.”
AMC left the theatre behind on September 10, 2006. Four months later, Regal - which had taken over UA theaters - would vacate the nearby Hulen on January 7, 2007. But both theaters found new owners almost immediately. Starplex Cinemas took on the AMC venue relaunching on December 8, 2006 renaming it as Hulen Movies 10. On January 15, 2010, the theatre was slightly rebranded as Hulen Stadium 10 with all theaters having stadium seating. As for the former UA Hulen 10, it became the Hulen Movie Tavern on September 7, 2007 after receiving a $2.5 million makeover with stadium-style seating with high-back leather rocker chairs.
As of the 2020s, both theatres were still competing in the same zone. The Starplex theatre closed very briefly in December of 2015 at the end of its 30-year lease. AMC came back renaming it the AMC Hulen 10 on December 15, 2015. In August of 2017, the theatre received a major makeover with loungers and new kiosks as part of its new look. The Movie Tavern Circuit was taken on by Marcus which changed the name of the competing venue to the Movie Tavern by Marcus Hulen in 2019.
The Cozy Theatre launched April 16, 1913. It closed but a new operator was identified and the Cozy tried again beginning December 24, 1913. A new-build Cozy Theatre was constructed in 1917 at 300 West Gentry Avenue opening May 16, 1917. The Cozy installed RCA Photophone sound to stay current on April 13, 1930 with “Broadway Scandals.” The Cozy went out of business on March 29, 1955 with “Francis Joins the WACs.” Its top was lopped off when People’s National Bank established its long-running financial institution there.
Dick Crumpler, J.P. Jones, and Harvey Griffith launched the 69 Drive-In on September 28, 1950 with Anthony Quinn in “Black Gold.” It was McIntosh County’s first o-zoner. The second iteration of the 69 Drive-In closed with the Nov. 1, 1974 showing of Michael Caine in “Sleuth.”
The State Theatre launched on May 28, 1941 with its opening film, “The Great American Broadcast.” Its last film was just two months later when fire destroyed the building and five neighboring business on August 1, 1941.
Ridgmar Mall launched in 1976 theatre-less. General Cinemas would open a mile and a half away with its Ridgmar West on October 10, 1980. But an even closer facility for GCC would occur in the neighboring Ridgmar Town Square which was built in two phases in the shadow of the mall. The first phase opened in 1985. The second phase included General Cinema’s newest theater, a proposed six-screen, 1,700 seat facility to be called Ridgmar Town Square I-VI. Overbuilding of multiplexes was in full force with AMC’s Hulen 10, Central Park 8, UA Bedford 10, GCC’s Arlington Park Square 8, and UA Bowen 8 coming within a one year period.
The Ridgmar Town Square VI launched on January 16, 1987 and proved to be a winner. The former General Ridgmar West turned Cinema V was demoted to second-run, discount status in 1988 until its closure in February of 1998. Meanwhile, the megaplex boom was on finding AMC, Sony/Loews, and United Artist stepping up with large count movie theaters with stadium seating all over DFW. General Cinema’s lone entry was a 14-plex inside the Irving Mall. It wasn’t enough to save the circuit.
General Cinema was caught flat-footed with its aging multiplexes. Yet the Ridgmar was cruising along even after a rash of GCC closings in 1998. But Black Thursday hit on October 5, 2000. GCC closed all three remaining Tarrant Country locations with the Arlington Square 8, Central Park 8, and Ridgmar Town Square. Plans for an 18-screen AMC Ridgmar Theatre on the roof of the neighboring mall were abandoned in April of 2001 and that gave the Ridgmar new life.
Premier Theaters of Granbury took on the Ridgmar Town Square and after a refresh that allowed for pizza, appetizers and wine to be served in the complex, became the Ridgmar Movie Tavern. It launched on November 16, 2001 and became the first of many Movie Taverns. Its catchphrase was “Where movies never tasted so good.” It claimed to be the originator of circuits that followed including Texas-based Studio Movie Grill and Alamo Drafthouse and AMC’s efforts with its Dine-In theatre locations and Cinemark experimenting with CUT! Meanwhile, the Ridgmar Mall finally did get a megaplex when Rave Motion Picture Theaters launched there in December of 2013 providing competition for the aging Ridgmar theater.
Cinemark’s LeRoy Mitchell acquired the Movie Taverns but was forced to sell them when Cinemark took on the Rave Circuit due to competitive concerns. VSS-Southern Theatres bought the Movie Tavern circuit and kept its first location longer than expected. In November of 2018, Marcus inquired about obtaining the VSS-Southern and the 31-year old location did not make the cut.
The Ridgmar Movie Tavern closed December 2, 2018 but not after having a great time with customers able to get deals on the remaining liquor. Marcus officially took on the remaining 22 VSS-Southern locations including its Movie Taverns including those in Denton, Arlington Bedford, and two in Fort Worth which became Movie Tavern(s) by Marcus.
The Eastchase Market Shopping Center was built in two phases with a Target anchor flanked by Toys R Us, Ross Dress for Less, MJ Designs and PetsMart opening September and October of 1995. A 33,000 square foot 10-screen theater was planned for a 1996/7 opening by United Artists announced in 1995 as part of Phase Two.
UA had committed to the Fossil Creek in Fort Worth, a $10-million concept similar to the UA Galaxy in Dallas which had opened in May of 1996 going for technology including VR gaming and THX-certified auditoriums. The lower-technology UA Eastchase Market Stadium expanded its footprint to 38,600 square feet and upped its proposal to 11 screens. But the City of Arlington intervened and the project was dialed down to 9 screens. Both the UA Fossil Creek and the UA Eastchase Market Stadium 9 opened in 1997.
While much of the attention was going to 24- and 30-screen megaplexes of the era, UA was more conservative building 9 to 11 screen complexes including its Lakepointe 10 theater in Lewisville opening in December 1994 followed by a similar facility in Grand Prairie opening August 1995, the Eastchase debuting September 26, 1997 and its Macarthur Marketplace in 1999, along with the higher-end Galaxy and Fossil Creek locations with multiple THX auditoriums. Eastchase had just one THX certified theater and a 6'x6' preview board.
Philip Anschutz took over controlling interest in United Artists and Regal, as well as Edwards Theaters in October of 2001 and the economy went south in an era when too many theaters were in the Dallas-Fort Worth marketplace. Regal began a retreat in the DFW marketplace that was losing to Cinemark and AMC and had claimed General Cinema, once a dominant factor in the market. Regal/UA would shed older, non-descript 6- and 8-plexes along with the McArthur Marketplace. But the Eastchase Stadium stayed in the portfolio for another ten years.
On December 9, 2012 Regal left the Eastchase behind likely bailing halfway through a 30-year lease. Carolina Cinemas came in next opening and then quickly departing in May of 2013. AMC put $2.6 million into the theater relaunching as the AMC Eastchase 9 with recliners and reduced capacity and a MacGuffin’s Bar.
The AMC Eastchase 9 closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened August 27, 2020.
Cinemark Movies 10 Banks Station launched October 26, 1990 as a discount, sub-run theater (see ad in photos) on a 30-year lease. It closed along with all of the Cinemark locations for COVID-19 on March 17, 2020. It was one of the few discount theaters in the United States that reopened in August of 2020 but was permanently closed at end of lease on October 23, 2020. (It opened and closed as Cinemark Movies 10 Banks Station aka Cinemark Movies 10.)
The Cinemagic Stadium 9 Salisbury Theatre launched in 2010 in a former Kmart store in CrossRoads Plaza. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Salisbury location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theatres launched here July 4, 2012. Yervant Nahikian of Yervant Nahikian Associates in Hooksett, NH was the theater’s architect. Located in the Center at Hobbs Brook, the theater was all digital projection.
On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Sturbridge location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters launched its 1,200-seat Portsmouth location in January of 2013 in Southgate Plaza. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Portsmouth location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters opened the Cinemagic & IMAX (all caps) on July 13, 2007. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Hooksett location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters launched its Cinemagic Merrimack on July 30, 2004. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp closed its entire circuit of Cinemagic Stadium locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021.
The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Merrimack location.
Hoyts launched the Clark’s Pond 8 on May 10, 1991. Regal took over the assets of Hoyts Cinemas in March 2003 with the Clark’s Pond becoming a Regal location. Regal dropped the location May 20, 2007. Cinemagic took on the location.
On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Clarks Pond location.
General Cinema launched the Westridge Mall Cinema I, II, III, IV, V, & VI with a May 21st, 1982 grand opening. General Cinemas dropped the location on March 30, 1995.
Harkins Theatre rebooted the location as the Harkins Westridge Mall 6 on May 5, 1995. It was then renamed as the Harkins Desert Sky when the mall changed names. Harkins closed the venue after shows on January 30, 2003.
Colorado-based Sonora Entertainment Group used its Cinema Latino nameplate when it took on the venue renaming it Cinema Latino de Phoenix with a grand opening on November 13, 2003 including the Spanish-languge, “Lucia Lucia” and “El Crimen Padre Amaro” both shown with English subtitles and several dubbed major Hollywood films. The mini-circuit had recently closed in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs, but had its Aurora, Colorado and Fort Worth, Texas locations running.
The theatre was rebranded as Sonora Cinemas in 2016 and got a major refresh at a relaunch in July of 2016. That included the transition to stadium seating. Sonora Cinemas suspended all of its programming following movies as of March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic in its three remaining locations, here at the Sonora Cinemas Phoenix (formerly Cinema Latino de Phoenix), the Sonora Cinemas Aurora, Colorado (formerly Cinema Latino), and the Cinema Latino in Pasadena, Texas.
Sonora filed for voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on August 6, 2020 leaving an uncertain future for the locations which remained closed into 2021.
AMC closed this and its other locations on March 16, 2020 dur8ng the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on September 3, 2020. But in January of 2021, AMC made the closure permanent.
The Cinema Saver 6 launched March 17, 1995 as a sub-run $2 discount theater. Cinema Saver had three other locations in Boulder, Evergreen and Parker. Kerasotes took on the venue in 2007 becoming the Kerasotes Cinema Saver 6. Kerasotes was purchased by AMC which changed its name to the AMC Classic Worthington 6. It closed with the other AMC locations on March 16, 2020. - one day shy of its 25th anniversary - for the COVID-19mpandemic. It re-emerged in August of 2020 but was closed permanently in January of 2021.
DanBarry closed the Huber Heights location on August 27, 2019. A Florida company bought the property and converted the venue into a “high-end” storage facility in 2021.
The Parkway Theatre closed on February 9, 1964 with Yul Bryner in “Kings of the Sun.” The demolition took place soon thereafter with a modern, Buddie Supermarket constructed on the site.
The Wedgwood Village shopping center was announced in 1956. It launched October 27, 1960 and was so successful that a one million dollar addition was announced in 1966 containing an Interstate Theatre. Both phases of the project were carried out by Kneer & Hamm Architects. The 966-seat Wedgwood Theatre opened April 6, 1967 with a three-day red carpet launch with “How to Succeed in Business Without Trying.” Director William Friedkin was in town promoting the World Premiere screenings of Sonny & Cher’s “Good Times” and made comments. It became the ABC Wedgwood Theatre 1&2 when ABC Theatres split the auditorium on February 25th, 1977. It became the Plitt Wedgwood 1&2 when Plitt took over the ABC circuit.
From 1983-1984, the viability of the Wedgwood was in severe jeopardy as a glut of multiplexes were being built just exits away as Loews opened the 6-screen 20 & 287 nearby in 1984 and already opened its Lincoln Square in 1983. UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. AMC had both Green Oaks and the nearby Hulen. It was the latter that rankled Plitt which had begun showing art films to good crowds, despite the competition, at the Wedgwood. AMC dedicated one of the Hulen screens to art cinema.
Plitt downgraded the Wedgwood to sub-run discount status in March of 1986 with $1 admission. Cinemark took on the venue in 1987 and would quadplex closing it four months beginning in April of 1988. It re-emerged as the Wedgwood 4 Theatre on August 5, 1988 and now had $1 movies and $1 movie rentals. Cinemark also created video rental locations in its Arlington and Belaire locations that it had also acquired from Plitt.
Cinemark dropped the theater at the end of a 30-year lease in March of 1997. The theatre would go independent under the banner of the Wedgwood Village 4 Theatre in April of 1997 under a 5-year leasing agreement. The theatre retained (or brought back) the video rentals. It closed as the Wedgwood Village 4 Theatre on March 31, 2002. It became an indy coffee house known as Artistic Blends Coffee House and Theater from 2004 to 2006 before closing. The space was then used by the Fountains Fellowship Church.
Made a comeback in 1985 for three seasons as a Spanish language drive-in theatre, according to the local paper, closing in 1987.
Closed after the November 30, 1974 double-feature of “My Name is Nobody” and “Kid Blue.”
The Loews Lincoln Square opened June 17, 1983. It was part of a movie theater building explosion in a market that only had 4 movie theaters with a total of 20 screens in a population of around 200,000 residents. The mid-1980s was the era of the multiplex and for growing Arlington, Texas, four movie theater circuits were vying for the same zones. The newly created Interstate 20 was creating a retail nexus in South Arlington with exits from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie housing new build cinemas.
After Loews opened its Lincoln Square in 1983, UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. Loews launched the almost-identical 6-screen 20 & 287 in 1984. The UA Bowen 8 would be joined an exit to the West by the AMC Green Oaks, yet another eight-screen operation. Finally, General Cinema would open its eight-screener, the Arlington Park Square, in 1986 a few exits to the east as South Arlington was replete the multiplexes.
The marketplace changed markedly with the birth of the megaplex area. Grand Prairie got two with the UA and Cinemark multiplexes and just an exit outside of Arlington was the UA Eastchase opening in 1997. When AMC opened it AMC Parks in 2002, the remaining 1980s theaters were in retreat mode. Loews closed January 4, 2004. Loews would then close the 20 & 287 on January 30, 2004 completing its leasing term there.
Grandbury-based Great Texas Movie Company came to finish out a short-term lease at the Lincoln Square while trying to get a liquor license as part of its Movie Tavern line of theaters. It failed to get the license and only had a month-to-month leasing agreement that it carried on for one full year. It decided against creating a kitchen closing permanently on January 30, 2004. The theatre was emptied and demolished soon thereafter. A Studio Movie Grill was built elsewhere in the plaza in 2017.
The mid-1980s was the era of the multiplex and for growing Arlington, Texas, four movie theater circuits were vying for the same zones. For South Arlington, the newly created Interstate 20 would soon create a retail nexus in South Arlington and exits from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie would become a major cinema-going corridor and . UA opened the UA Bowen 8 in 1984 along with the Las Vegas Trail 8, UA South 8, and UA North Star 8. Loews launched the 6-screen 20 & 287 as well as the Lincoln Square a year earlier. The UA Bowen 8 opened in 1984 and would be joined by the AMC Green Oaks, yet another eight-screen operation opening just about a mile away on November 21, 1984. Finally, General Cinema would open its eight-screener, the Arlington Park Square, in 1986 a few exits to the east as South Arlington was replete the multiplexes.
The circuits competed for clearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. would come online within two years about two miles to the east. Up and down I-20, more theaters sprouted at exits such as the Cinemark Grand Prairie megaplex to the east, the Sony CityView at Bryant Irvin, et al. And by the mid-1990s, a new breed of megaplexes challenged the aging multiplexes.
AMC would close the Green Oaks in 1999 deciding against a lease renewal leaving at the 15-year point of a potential 30-year lease. It focuses on a new mall megaplex, the delayed AMC Parks that opened in 2002. Meanwhile, General Cinema would shutter all of its Tarrant County locations on October 5, 2000 including the nearby Arlington Park Square 8. Premier Theaters of Granbury took on a different complex, the Ridgmar Town Square, that allowed for pizza, appetizers and wine to be served in the complex becoming the Ridgmar Movie Tavern. It launched on November 16, 2001.
Deciding that similar magic could be found in the vacant AMC Green Oaks, the circuit completed a similar conversion creating the Movie Tavern at Green Oaks. It launched on July 12th, 2002 using it catchphrase of “Where movies never tasted so good.” A Movie Taverns would also be created at the Hulen Mall former UA Hulen 8 multiplex and Bedford’s Central Park 8 formerly of General Cinema and EFW operations. Movie Tavern claimed to be the originator of circuits that followed including Texas-based Studio Movie Grill and Alamo Drafthouse and AMC’s efforts with its Dine-In theatre locations and Cinemark experimenting with CUT!
Cinemark’s LeRoy Mitchell acquired the Movie Taverns but was forced to sell them when Cinemark took on the Rave Circuit due to competitive concerns. VSS-Southern Theatres bought the Movie Tavern circuit and opened the West 7th Theatre location. In November of 2018, Marcus obtained the VSS-Southern circuit and while the flagship Ridgmar would be shuttered, Green Oaks Movie Tavern was still functioning in the 2020s. Its name was changed to Movie Tavern by Marcus Green Oaks.
Hulen Mall opened theatreless in 1977. The UA Hulen Cinema 6 opened as an outparcel building just to southwest of Hulen Mall in 1979. In 1985, AMC announced its intention to move into the outparcel building called Loehmann’s Plaza anchored by Loehmann’s and joined by the Drug Emporium, Tippin’s Pies, and what on the drawing board as the AMC Loehmann’s 10. But while still in development, the project was soon renamed the AMC Hulen 10 Theatres located just about a mile to the south of the UA Hulen 6.
The AMC Hulen 10 launched December 13, 1985. To keep up with AMC — if not confuse potential moviegoers — UA would transform its Hulen operation to ten screens and the two co-existed as Hulen 10s. Box office personnel would constantly have to help customers with a courteous, “You want the other Hulen 10 theater a mile away.”
AMC left the theatre behind on September 10, 2006. Four months later, Regal - which had taken over UA theaters - would vacate the nearby Hulen on January 7, 2007. But both theaters found new owners almost immediately. Starplex Cinemas took on the AMC venue relaunching on December 8, 2006 renaming it as Hulen Movies 10. On January 15, 2010, the theatre was slightly rebranded as Hulen Stadium 10 with all theaters having stadium seating. As for the former UA Hulen 10, it became the Hulen Movie Tavern on September 7, 2007 after receiving a $2.5 million makeover with stadium-style seating with high-back leather rocker chairs.
As of the 2020s, both theatres were still competing in the same zone. The Starplex theatre closed very briefly in December of 2015 at the end of its 30-year lease. AMC came back renaming it the AMC Hulen 10 on December 15, 2015. In August of 2017, the theatre received a major makeover with loungers and new kiosks as part of its new look. The Movie Tavern Circuit was taken on by Marcus which changed the name of the competing venue to the Movie Tavern by Marcus Hulen in 2019.
The Cozy Theatre launched April 16, 1913. It closed but a new operator was identified and the Cozy tried again beginning December 24, 1913. A new-build Cozy Theatre was constructed in 1917 at 300 West Gentry Avenue opening May 16, 1917. The Cozy installed RCA Photophone sound to stay current on April 13, 1930 with “Broadway Scandals.” The Cozy went out of business on March 29, 1955 with “Francis Joins the WACs.” Its top was lopped off when People’s National Bank established its long-running financial institution there.
Dick Crumpler, J.P. Jones, and Harvey Griffith launched the 69 Drive-In on September 28, 1950 with Anthony Quinn in “Black Gold.” It was McIntosh County’s first o-zoner. The second iteration of the 69 Drive-In closed with the Nov. 1, 1974 showing of Michael Caine in “Sleuth.”
The State Theatre launched on May 28, 1941 with its opening film, “The Great American Broadcast.” Its last film was just two months later when fire destroyed the building and five neighboring business on August 1, 1941.
Ridgmar Mall launched in 1976 theatre-less. General Cinemas would open a mile and a half away with its Ridgmar West on October 10, 1980. But an even closer facility for GCC would occur in the neighboring Ridgmar Town Square which was built in two phases in the shadow of the mall. The first phase opened in 1985. The second phase included General Cinema’s newest theater, a proposed six-screen, 1,700 seat facility to be called Ridgmar Town Square I-VI. Overbuilding of multiplexes was in full force with AMC’s Hulen 10, Central Park 8, UA Bedford 10, GCC’s Arlington Park Square 8, and UA Bowen 8 coming within a one year period.
The Ridgmar Town Square VI launched on January 16, 1987 and proved to be a winner. The former General Ridgmar West turned Cinema V was demoted to second-run, discount status in 1988 until its closure in February of 1998. Meanwhile, the megaplex boom was on finding AMC, Sony/Loews, and United Artist stepping up with large count movie theaters with stadium seating all over DFW. General Cinema’s lone entry was a 14-plex inside the Irving Mall. It wasn’t enough to save the circuit.
General Cinema was caught flat-footed with its aging multiplexes. Yet the Ridgmar was cruising along even after a rash of GCC closings in 1998. But Black Thursday hit on October 5, 2000. GCC closed all three remaining Tarrant Country locations with the Arlington Square 8, Central Park 8, and Ridgmar Town Square. Plans for an 18-screen AMC Ridgmar Theatre on the roof of the neighboring mall were abandoned in April of 2001 and that gave the Ridgmar new life.
Premier Theaters of Granbury took on the Ridgmar Town Square and after a refresh that allowed for pizza, appetizers and wine to be served in the complex, became the Ridgmar Movie Tavern. It launched on November 16, 2001 and became the first of many Movie Taverns. Its catchphrase was “Where movies never tasted so good.” It claimed to be the originator of circuits that followed including Texas-based Studio Movie Grill and Alamo Drafthouse and AMC’s efforts with its Dine-In theatre locations and Cinemark experimenting with CUT! Meanwhile, the Ridgmar Mall finally did get a megaplex when Rave Motion Picture Theaters launched there in December of 2013 providing competition for the aging Ridgmar theater.
Cinemark’s LeRoy Mitchell acquired the Movie Taverns but was forced to sell them when Cinemark took on the Rave Circuit due to competitive concerns. VSS-Southern Theatres bought the Movie Tavern circuit and kept its first location longer than expected. In November of 2018, Marcus inquired about obtaining the VSS-Southern and the 31-year old location did not make the cut.
The Ridgmar Movie Tavern closed December 2, 2018 but not after having a great time with customers able to get deals on the remaining liquor. Marcus officially took on the remaining 22 VSS-Southern locations including its Movie Taverns including those in Denton, Arlington Bedford, and two in Fort Worth which became Movie Tavern(s) by Marcus.
The Eastchase Market Shopping Center was built in two phases with a Target anchor flanked by Toys R Us, Ross Dress for Less, MJ Designs and PetsMart opening September and October of 1995. A 33,000 square foot 10-screen theater was planned for a 1996/7 opening by United Artists announced in 1995 as part of Phase Two.
UA had committed to the Fossil Creek in Fort Worth, a $10-million concept similar to the UA Galaxy in Dallas which had opened in May of 1996 going for technology including VR gaming and THX-certified auditoriums. The lower-technology UA Eastchase Market Stadium expanded its footprint to 38,600 square feet and upped its proposal to 11 screens. But the City of Arlington intervened and the project was dialed down to 9 screens. Both the UA Fossil Creek and the UA Eastchase Market Stadium 9 opened in 1997.
While much of the attention was going to 24- and 30-screen megaplexes of the era, UA was more conservative building 9 to 11 screen complexes including its Lakepointe 10 theater in Lewisville opening in December 1994 followed by a similar facility in Grand Prairie opening August 1995, the Eastchase debuting September 26, 1997 and its Macarthur Marketplace in 1999, along with the higher-end Galaxy and Fossil Creek locations with multiple THX auditoriums. Eastchase had just one THX certified theater and a 6'x6' preview board.
Philip Anschutz took over controlling interest in United Artists and Regal, as well as Edwards Theaters in October of 2001 and the economy went south in an era when too many theaters were in the Dallas-Fort Worth marketplace. Regal began a retreat in the DFW marketplace that was losing to Cinemark and AMC and had claimed General Cinema, once a dominant factor in the market. Regal/UA would shed older, non-descript 6- and 8-plexes along with the McArthur Marketplace. But the Eastchase Stadium stayed in the portfolio for another ten years.
On December 9, 2012 Regal left the Eastchase behind likely bailing halfway through a 30-year lease. Carolina Cinemas came in next opening and then quickly departing in May of 2013. AMC put $2.6 million into the theater relaunching as the AMC Eastchase 9 with recliners and reduced capacity and a MacGuffin’s Bar.
The AMC Eastchase 9 closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened August 27, 2020.
Cinemark Movies 10 Banks Station launched October 26, 1990 as a discount, sub-run theater (see ad in photos) on a 30-year lease. It closed along with all of the Cinemark locations for COVID-19 on March 17, 2020. It was one of the few discount theaters in the United States that reopened in August of 2020 but was permanently closed at end of lease on October 23, 2020. (It opened and closed as Cinemark Movies 10 Banks Station aka Cinemark Movies 10.)
Correction: The Portsmouth location reopened July 31, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021.
The Cinemagic Stadium 9 Salisbury Theatre launched in 2010 in a former Kmart store in CrossRoads Plaza. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Salisbury location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theatres launched here July 4, 2012. Yervant Nahikian of Yervant Nahikian Associates in Hooksett, NH was the theater’s architect. Located in the Center at Hobbs Brook, the theater was all digital projection.
On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Sturbridge location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters launched its 1,200-seat Portsmouth location in January of 2013 in Southgate Plaza. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Portsmouth location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters opened the Cinemagic & IMAX (all caps) on July 13, 2007. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Hooksett location.
Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters launched its Cinemagic Merrimack on July 30, 2004. On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp closed its entire circuit of Cinemagic Stadium locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021.
The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Merrimack location.
Hoyts launched the Clark’s Pond 8 on May 10, 1991. Regal took over the assets of Hoyts Cinemas in March 2003 with the Clark’s Pond becoming a Regal location. Regal dropped the location May 20, 2007. Cinemagic took on the location.
On March 17, 2020, Zyacorp Entertainment’s Cinemagic Stadium Theaters closed its locations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the theaters returned on July 24, 2020 and others reopened on August 21, 2020 only to be closed again on February 3, 2021. The Circuit said it was an intermission and that when the new spring Hollywood releases came out, they would be back. On February 22, 2021, Zyacorp / Cinemagic had a change of heart and closed all of its locations permanently including the Clarks Pond location.
General Cinema launched the Westridge Mall Cinema I, II, III, IV, V, & VI with a May 21st, 1982 grand opening. General Cinemas dropped the location on March 30, 1995.
Harkins Theatre rebooted the location as the Harkins Westridge Mall 6 on May 5, 1995. It was then renamed as the Harkins Desert Sky when the mall changed names. Harkins closed the venue after shows on January 30, 2003.
Colorado-based Sonora Entertainment Group used its Cinema Latino nameplate when it took on the venue renaming it Cinema Latino de Phoenix with a grand opening on November 13, 2003 including the Spanish-languge, “Lucia Lucia” and “El Crimen Padre Amaro” both shown with English subtitles and several dubbed major Hollywood films. The mini-circuit had recently closed in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs, but had its Aurora, Colorado and Fort Worth, Texas locations running.
The theatre was rebranded as Sonora Cinemas in 2016 and got a major refresh at a relaunch in July of 2016. That included the transition to stadium seating. Sonora Cinemas suspended all of its programming following movies as of March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic in its three remaining locations, here at the Sonora Cinemas Phoenix (formerly Cinema Latino de Phoenix), the Sonora Cinemas Aurora, Colorado (formerly Cinema Latino), and the Cinema Latino in Pasadena, Texas.
Sonora filed for voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on August 6, 2020 leaving an uncertain future for the locations which remained closed into 2021.
Renamed the AMC Classic Myrtle Beach 12 in 2020
AMC closed this and its other locations on March 16, 2020 dur8ng the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on September 3, 2020. But in January of 2021, AMC made the closure permanent.
The Cinema Saver 6 launched March 17, 1995 as a sub-run $2 discount theater. Cinema Saver had three other locations in Boulder, Evergreen and Parker. Kerasotes took on the venue in 2007 becoming the Kerasotes Cinema Saver 6. Kerasotes was purchased by AMC which changed its name to the AMC Classic Worthington 6. It closed with the other AMC locations on March 16, 2020. - one day shy of its 25th anniversary - for the COVID-19mpandemic. It re-emerged in August of 2020 but was closed permanently in January of 2021.
DanBarry closed the Huber Heights location on August 27, 2019. A Florida company bought the property and converted the venue into a “high-end” storage facility in 2021.