I went to this theater many times while living in the Brea/Fullerton area (1991-1996) and actually liked it a lot. It was way better than the 4 screener in Brea Mall, which was a total dump, and the Brea Plaza 5, which was OK, but just wasn’t as nice or comfortable. From what I have read from other sources, this theater was stuck with a bad lease, which prevented them from showing matinees, or something like that. Combine that with Edwards opening a 10-screen and 12-screen theater in the new Downtown Brea, and that should explain why this place eventually closed.
@Cholla: I know the I-44 was a storage lot for trucks and trailers for a while after it closed…and there may have been another business operating out of the lot for a while, but I don’t remember a swap meet ever being there. But that’s just my recollection…maybe someone else can confirm or set the record straight.
Piccione Enterprises…weren’t they the same family that ran the Varsity Theater in U City? I believe Wehrenberg did booking for that theater, as well as the Apollo when Grace Piccione operated that place.
OK, one more thing: Had Regency Square Shopping Center been around in the 70s, I’m certain General Cinema would have put a theater there. That shopping center is the exactly the type of location GCC would have wanted and I’m certain they would have put at least 6 screens in it to compete with Cinema 4 Center. Just speculation on my part, but hey, it’s fun!
I went to this theater a lot, especially during my last two years in St. Louis (1989-1991) before I moved to Southern California. I lived in an apartment complex in St. Charles not far from this theater. In fact, during Christmas week of 1990, I had the whole week off from work, so I went to a movie every day of that week at the Regency Square…even driving through snow!! CSW is correct: a 24 Hour Fitness now occupies the building. It was a VERY popular theater for its entire existence. Too bad it closed.
Valid point, Chris…although, to be fair, I believe Wehrenberg continued that tradition after they took over the St. Ann 4 Screen…which, of course, wasn’t for very long.
I live very close to this theater, but the mall where it’s located is in big trouble. There are lots of vacancies, most notable the entire upstairs food court. Everything is closed (including the Walden Books) and you can’t even use the escalators to get up there anymore. I even heard the Disney Store there closed recently. If that type of store closes, you know things are bad.
This theater recently installed Digital 3D equipment and raised its discount price to $7 for movies before 6 PM. I go here once in a while, but it’s not my favorite theater. We’ll see how much longer it and the mall can hold on.
I went to this theater one time in 1999…and it was a very memorable night! A whole bunch of friends from my church singles group decided to get off work early and go see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on opening night. We all got there early, grabbed dinner at the Yoshinoya across the street, then sat in line for a while eating dinner so we could be first to get tickets. It was just a fun evening out for a bunch of friends who were Star Wars geeks!! I also thought it was totally cool there was an old school single-screen theater still around. I agree with the other comments: The seats were VERY comfortable and the old 70mm screen really made the movie even more memorable…that and grabbing pizza at The Pizza Haus afterward. Great memories!!
Saw several movies here including Deep Blue Sea and Minority Report. But my best memory of this theater was when I saw The Incredibles…it was the second date with the woman who is now my wife!!
Based on a little research on Google Maps, I think the address given for this theater is 416 North Truman Boulevard. I think it should be changed to 416 SOUTH Truman Boulevard. Check it out on Google Maps and I think you’ll see why.
@oceantracks: I believe you might be thinking of the South County Cinema that was in South County Center. That theater WAS run by General Cinema from its opening until it was closed and torn down. Here’s that theater’s page on this site: South County Cinema
Thanks, Norm…while we’re at it, the 66 Park-In was run by Wehrenberg, except for its first year of operation (1948), but it was still never run by General Cinema.
The last movie I saw at Cinema 4 was The Great Mouse Detective. According to imdb.com, that movie was released in 1986. So that means I saw my last film at C4C about a year before it closed down for good. Sad to see the place go, but glad I have a good memory of my final movie there. Never forget that place…
Good point, Norm…although Mid-America overdid it, in my opinion. A rather poorly done twin in any little strip shopping center they could find (South City, Manchester, Paddock, Four Seasons, etc). At least the Cave Springs was a free standing theater with its own building…
Another comment on Arthur Theaters: They actually did move into the county in the 60s and 70s, opening theaters in St. Ann and Ellisville in addition to the Cross Keys and St. Andrews…but almost all their theaters had only one screen. Mid-America had the foresight to at least open several twin theaters and expand the Esquire and Village Square to three screens. Wehrenberg also went multiplex, with the Westport Twin, Cinema 4 Center, and Des Peres 4. Arthur just didn’t seem to recognize that the multiplex was the new way to go with movie theaters…despite the fact they ran the St. Ann 4 Screen Drive-In!! Go fig…
@royals: In my opinion, what cause Arthur Theaters to go bankrupt was they took too long to expand into St. Louis county. Most of their theaters (Fox, Shenandoah, etc) were in the city of St. Louis and, by the time the late 1960s/early 1970s rolled around, Wehrenberg, Mid-America, and General Cinema (along with a few others) had opened several new theaters in St. Louis County. Arthur tried to play “catch-up” with the Cross Keys, 270 Drive-In, and St. Andrews Cinema, but they were too late to totally commit to the county.
Just my opinion, of course…others can feel free to share other thoughts on this…
One more thing about the Cross Keys: Although everyone could see the marquee with the “Batman” ears near the main entrance to the shopping center, the cinema itself as hidden way in the back of the center, as I recall. Didn’t you use to have to drive almost all the way around the center to get to the cinema?
Chuck, could you post the process you went through to make that link selectable? I’m sorry if I just missed it somewhere, but I can seem to find the right process on here. Thanks!
@littlelamzie: Actually, it’s not much different from when I went there on Friday nights in 1990!! That was when the theater only had 6 screens and the kids were loud and disrespectful then…maybe not foul-mouthed, but they still ruined the movie experience because they just wouldn’t shut up!! I’ve found the St. Charles 18 to be far better…
Kavita Kumar of the Post-Dispatch said in her column today that the redevelopment plans for Crestwood Plaza could include a new movie theater with leather seats and high-end dining, along with a bowling alley, as new tenants as part of the redevelopment. A closing date for the current 10-screen theater was not mentioned, but JAlex’s info would fit right in with this idea.
I have a rather bittersweet memory of the Park Sierra. It was here that I had a final get-together with an ex-girlfriend…who was my First Great Love.. She took me to see “The Sandlot” in 1993 as a birthday present. That was the last time we got together…we’ve both moved on and have married other people now…but I guess you don’t forget what it’s like when your First Love has to end…
I went to this theater many times while living in the Brea/Fullerton area (1991-1996) and actually liked it a lot. It was way better than the 4 screener in Brea Mall, which was a total dump, and the Brea Plaza 5, which was OK, but just wasn’t as nice or comfortable. From what I have read from other sources, this theater was stuck with a bad lease, which prevented them from showing matinees, or something like that. Combine that with Edwards opening a 10-screen and 12-screen theater in the new Downtown Brea, and that should explain why this place eventually closed.
The only movie I ever saw here was “Star Wars”.
@Cholla: I know the I-44 was a storage lot for trucks and trailers for a while after it closed…and there may have been another business operating out of the lot for a while, but I don’t remember a swap meet ever being there. But that’s just my recollection…maybe someone else can confirm or set the record straight.
Piccione Enterprises…weren’t they the same family that ran the Varsity Theater in U City? I believe Wehrenberg did booking for that theater, as well as the Apollo when Grace Piccione operated that place.
Did BAC eventually take over this theater?
Let’s see: I saw Edward Scissorhands, Misery, Kindergarten Cop, Look Who’s Talking Too, and…can’t remember the other one…
OK, one more thing: Had Regency Square Shopping Center been around in the 70s, I’m certain General Cinema would have put a theater there. That shopping center is the exactly the type of location GCC would have wanted and I’m certain they would have put at least 6 screens in it to compete with Cinema 4 Center. Just speculation on my part, but hey, it’s fun!
I went to this theater a lot, especially during my last two years in St. Louis (1989-1991) before I moved to Southern California. I lived in an apartment complex in St. Charles not far from this theater. In fact, during Christmas week of 1990, I had the whole week off from work, so I went to a movie every day of that week at the Regency Square…even driving through snow!! CSW is correct: a 24 Hour Fitness now occupies the building. It was a VERY popular theater for its entire existence. Too bad it closed.
One regret that I have is that I never made it to the Creve Coeur. Really wish I had
Valid point, Chris…although, to be fair, I believe Wehrenberg continued that tradition after they took over the St. Ann 4 Screen…which, of course, wasn’t for very long.
I live very close to this theater, but the mall where it’s located is in big trouble. There are lots of vacancies, most notable the entire upstairs food court. Everything is closed (including the Walden Books) and you can’t even use the escalators to get up there anymore. I even heard the Disney Store there closed recently. If that type of store closes, you know things are bad.
This theater recently installed Digital 3D equipment and raised its discount price to $7 for movies before 6 PM. I go here once in a while, but it’s not my favorite theater. We’ll see how much longer it and the mall can hold on.
I went to this theater one time in 1999…and it was a very memorable night! A whole bunch of friends from my church singles group decided to get off work early and go see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace on opening night. We all got there early, grabbed dinner at the Yoshinoya across the street, then sat in line for a while eating dinner so we could be first to get tickets. It was just a fun evening out for a bunch of friends who were Star Wars geeks!! I also thought it was totally cool there was an old school single-screen theater still around. I agree with the other comments: The seats were VERY comfortable and the old 70mm screen really made the movie even more memorable…that and grabbing pizza at The Pizza Haus afterward. Great memories!!
Saw several movies here including Deep Blue Sea and Minority Report. But my best memory of this theater was when I saw The Incredibles…it was the second date with the woman who is now my wife!!
Based on a little research on Google Maps, I think the address given for this theater is 416 North Truman Boulevard. I think it should be changed to 416 SOUTH Truman Boulevard. Check it out on Google Maps and I think you’ll see why.
Wow…two weeks sooner than originally thought…So Long, Crestwood Plaza…and thanks for the memories…
@oceantracks: I believe you might be thinking of the South County Cinema that was in South County Center. That theater WAS run by General Cinema from its opening until it was closed and torn down. Here’s that theater’s page on this site: South County Cinema
Thanks, Norm…while we’re at it, the 66 Park-In was run by Wehrenberg, except for its first year of operation (1948), but it was still never run by General Cinema.
The last movie I saw at Cinema 4 was The Great Mouse Detective. According to imdb.com, that movie was released in 1986. So that means I saw my last film at C4C about a year before it closed down for good. Sad to see the place go, but glad I have a good memory of my final movie there. Never forget that place…
Good point, Norm…although Mid-America overdid it, in my opinion. A rather poorly done twin in any little strip shopping center they could find (South City, Manchester, Paddock, Four Seasons, etc). At least the Cave Springs was a free standing theater with its own building…
Another comment on Arthur Theaters: They actually did move into the county in the 60s and 70s, opening theaters in St. Ann and Ellisville in addition to the Cross Keys and St. Andrews…but almost all their theaters had only one screen. Mid-America had the foresight to at least open several twin theaters and expand the Esquire and Village Square to three screens. Wehrenberg also went multiplex, with the Westport Twin, Cinema 4 Center, and Des Peres 4. Arthur just didn’t seem to recognize that the multiplex was the new way to go with movie theaters…despite the fact they ran the St. Ann 4 Screen Drive-In!! Go fig…
@royals: In my opinion, what cause Arthur Theaters to go bankrupt was they took too long to expand into St. Louis county. Most of their theaters (Fox, Shenandoah, etc) were in the city of St. Louis and, by the time the late 1960s/early 1970s rolled around, Wehrenberg, Mid-America, and General Cinema (along with a few others) had opened several new theaters in St. Louis County. Arthur tried to play “catch-up” with the Cross Keys, 270 Drive-In, and St. Andrews Cinema, but they were too late to totally commit to the county.
Just my opinion, of course…others can feel free to share other thoughts on this…
One more thing about the Cross Keys: Although everyone could see the marquee with the “Batman” ears near the main entrance to the shopping center, the cinema itself as hidden way in the back of the center, as I recall. Didn’t you use to have to drive almost all the way around the center to get to the cinema?
Chuck, could you post the process you went through to make that link selectable? I’m sorry if I just missed it somewhere, but I can seem to find the right process on here. Thanks!
@littlelamzie: Actually, it’s not much different from when I went there on Friday nights in 1990!! That was when the theater only had 6 screens and the kids were loud and disrespectful then…maybe not foul-mouthed, but they still ruined the movie experience because they just wouldn’t shut up!! I’ve found the St. Charles 18 to be far better…
Kavita Kumar of the Post-Dispatch said in her column today that the redevelopment plans for Crestwood Plaza could include a new movie theater with leather seats and high-end dining, along with a bowling alley, as new tenants as part of the redevelopment. A closing date for the current 10-screen theater was not mentioned, but JAlex’s info would fit right in with this idea.
Here’s the link to the story:
http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/consumer-central/bowling-alley-movie-theater-among-possible-tenants-for-new-crestwood/article_a4b3e396-624c-11e1-85b0-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story
Does anyone know how to make a link selectable on this site? If you do, I’ll try to repost.
I have a rather bittersweet memory of the Park Sierra. It was here that I had a final get-together with an ex-girlfriend…who was my First Great Love.. She took me to see “The Sandlot” in 1993 as a birthday present. That was the last time we got together…we’ve both moved on and have married other people now…but I guess you don’t forget what it’s like when your First Love has to end…