According to the local phone directory and newspaper, the Bijou was located at 21 North Augusta and was replaced by the Camp Shooting Gallery in 1910 before, itself, going out of business.
The Bijou opened September 5, 1907. “Ben Hur (1907)” was a big hit for the venue. E.F. Hoover was the last operator closing permanently on December 29, 1909. The “for sale” listing hit the local paper’s classified section the very next day running through January of 1910.
The Staunton Shopping Center was announced in 1963 and built in 1967/8. The Plaza Cinema Theatre was announced as an original tenant during the 1967 construction stage with a scheduled opening in early 1968. That opening did occur, albeit 15 months later on July 18, 1969 with “Oliver!” In advertising “Theatre” was often truncated. In 1978, R/C Theatres took on the venue dropping “Cinema” in favor of the Plaza Theatre moniker.
In November of 1985, the plaza announced that it would have a grand opening as the Staunton Mall in Fall 1986 in an expansion. In November of 1988, the venue was renamed Mall Movies as it was readying a transition to a multiplex. The full transition occurred on December 16, 1986 with R/C’s Mall Movies launching with “Land Before Time,” “Scrooged,” “Ernest Saves Christmas,” “My Stepmother was an Alien,” “Twins” and “Working Girl.” Regal purchased the location from R/C with its nameplate leaving on May 30, 1996 and becoming the Regal Staunton Mall Cinemas 6 the next day.
In 2010, the Mall was purchased by a new owner and there was a mutual agreement that Regal would vacate the property in favor of mall ownership as the Staunton Mall 6. The mall operator identified a new operator as Nova Cinemas on December 17, 2010 operating. Nova ankled the location on March 27, 2011 likely dreading a digital conversion.
That conversion would take place after a six year hiatus when Robert Harrison on December 15, 2017 as Legacy Theatres on a discount, sub-run policy. In 2017 and 2018, the mall slid into greyfield status - a term akin to a “dead mall.” It was a quick descent with the entire mall closing and being demolished. The theatre hung on until the announcement late in 2020.
The Arlington Theatre was located across the street from the Alhambra Theatre. It operated in a commercial district that was outside of downtown though highly accessible using the Arlington streetcar or the Market streetcar lines in the 1910s. The Arlington Theatre was another of the handful of theaters opened and operated by female owners. Margaret F. Manross had begun her career in the box office of a downtown theater back in 1911. The 25-year old learned the industry deciding to open here on February 4, 1916 with Lon Chaney in “Father and Sons.”
Manross would sell out to Carl Fish. Mr. Fish had operated the North Hills' Pastime Theater in 1917 and took on the Alhambra. He then purchased the Arlington to own both of the operations using the Arlington for exploitation and four-wall films, primarily. The venue appears to have been converted first to a grocery store and then to an auto parts store in the 1930s.
The nickelodeon period is fascinating with owners literally coming and going month to month trying to figure out how to make money in the industry. Others might get sued by Edison and the Motion Picture Patents Company for infringement. And some became successful exhibitors for decades. Wild times.
The local paper reports that the Staunton Grocery Company vacated this building at 23-25 North Augusta in 1909 and would be replaced by a new theatre first called the Arcadia followed by its naming as the Savoy and the Princess. The Arcadia launched here April 29, 1909 as a nickelodeon that featured Miss Coffman at the piano accompanying the films and slides.
The Arcadia closed in August of 1910 and was replaced by the Savoy Theater which was luanched by the Beverly Amusement Company (of the local Beverly Theatre, as well) on September 5, 1910. The venue played Biograph and Vitograph films and was a nickelodeon that competed (or didn’t) against the Wonderland and the Lyric .
Then A. Mack Mitt bought the Savoy in 1916 relaunching here as the Princess Theatre on November 25, 1916. Staunton Amusement took on the venue on September 1, 1918 and likely did so to remove competition. They quickly shuttered the Princess Theater here in October of 1918. A month later, the Salvation Army moved into the retrofitted space.
The aforementioned Wonderland opened March 22, 1907 and operated into 1911 before being offered for sale or lease. It was converted in 1911 to a printing operation for McClure Company at 27-29 North Augusta. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.
The Bijou opened September 5, 1907 and the New Lyric Theater (which has its own Cinema Treasure page) opened November 19, 1908 also on North Augusta.
The New Lyric opened here on November 19, 1908. It had 230 seats at that time with both an Edison projector and a Lubin player. Operator G.W. Mooney left the industry and the - then - Lyric Theatre was auctioned off on October 3, 1911. Auction ad in photos.
Horizon Cinemas closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on October 8, 2020. But the business climate had changed significantly. Almost a year after it had celebrated its 25th Anniversary, Horizon closing here permanently on February 12, 2023. They stated the following:
Did you know that our Beltway Plaza location grand opening was on March 7, 1997? As a locally owned family business, we have worked hard to provide an affordable entertainment option to the local community. It has truly been a daily effort from a dedicated mother, father, and two sons. Over the years, we have hosted countless birthday parties, fundraisers, field trips, and free summer kid’s movies. Unfortunately, we are sad to announce that our Beltway Plaza location is now permanently closed.
We tried our best to avoid closing, but the financial burden created by the pandemic and other factors has proved too much to overcome. Thank you to all of our customers and staff that have supported us over the past 26 years. Please check out our other locations in Aberdeen, Fallston, and Glen Burnie. We hope to see you soon!
The Alhambra Picture Theater launched on May 15, 1912 with films. The venue’s namer to the Alhambra Theatre. It appears to have closed late in 1924 when operator Carl Fish - he of Akron’s Pastime and Alhambra - took on the Arlington Theatre just across the street. This should be placed in the same neighborhood as the Arlington and the Miles Royal theaters.
Significant update from the former AMC Valley View. Hopes for a comeback have gone from zero to somehow less than zero as two fires broke out in the vacant theater on February 11, 2023. The City of Dallas wants the theatre razed by July 2023 so here’s hoping that the insurance checks for the fire damage will allow that to now take place.
The developers of the site, who hoped to have the entire project completed by 2017 and didn’t even get the demolition part of the project completed, have also made a significant addition to the site: there is now an ugly “For Sale” sign in front of the former mall as they hope someone can clean up the mess that they’ve made.
Also a correction - the final day of operation of th AMC Valley View was January 2, 2022
The “new” Buss General Store was built in 1892 after Hudson’s Great Fire of April 28, 1892 in which virtually all of downtown burned. Buss rebuilt but the store was.a Depression era casualty. Buss Block owner C.H. Giles leased the venue to Loren B. Solether who operated the Chagrin Falls Theatre. Projectionist Jerry Huff became the final owner of the Hudson with his wife Angie. They closed the Hudson Theatre on October 9, 1960 as television was helping to kill off its operational plan. The Huffs had an operating nut of $425 a week and could not meet that. The building was auctioned off in 1961 and was razed in May of 1962.
Clint W. Kline built the Arcade Building in South Arkon in 1912 and 1913. The Arcade Theater launched there February 15, 1913 with motion pictures. The venue received a streamlined makeover in 1936 as the new-look New Arcade Theater. On October 9, 1938, the theatre rebranded as the Art Theater with a double feature of “Love Takes Flight” and “Killers of the Sea.” The theater’s movie run may have ended on March 6, 1939 as there are no further listings or ads until it is retrofitted as a house of worship. A Hungarian film with an appearance by Hungarian singer and Globe Records recording artist Margit Bodan may be the final Art Theater booking.
The venue became a house of worship in late 1939 and has retained that with a number of different host organizations from 1939 to the 2020s. Usage by the Southern Baptist Tabernacle suggests that the venue was renamed back to the Arcade Theater. The former Arcade Theater became the Akron Masjid Islamic Center in the 1990s to the 2020s.
The Grand Theater was opened in 1906 by Mary Spach, Akron’s first female movie theater operator and just the third moving picture show in the city behind the Unique Theater (later Grotto Theater) and the Luna Theater (later Victor Theater). The name was a little contentious one as the Grand Opera House had used the name Grand Theatre upon its destruction by fire in March of 1905. Spach came in and built a quick space calling it the Grand. And the Grand Opera House on Main Street launched in 1907 and ran to 1921.
The old address of the Grand Theater venue was at 42 South Howard. It was returned to retail operation. And, in its last stand against Urban Renewal, it had become the long-running Old Book Store from the 1940s until being razed in 1967. The last days of the bookstore were captured and two photos are posted.
The Portage Theatre was a new-build movie house that launched December 12, 1915 with Theda Bara in “A Fool There Was.” In 1924, the theatre closed for over one month as it got a major refresh and, under new operator Frank S. Falkenberg, reopened with Norma Talmadge in “The Song of Love” on September 6, 1924.
Late in 1929, the theatre was equipped with sound by operator William I. Foutts to remain viable. After a new operator took on the venue, the Portage name was dropped in favor of the neighborhood’s Five Points moniker. The Five Points Theatre launched on November 19, 1937 with “Broadway Melody of 1938” and “One Mile From Heaven.” The new operator was Lorenzo Bozzelli who operated it with his sons, Arthur and Tony. The Bozellis closed the venue on June 7, 1951 with “Inside Straight” and “Great Manhunt.” The former Five Points / Portage was used soon thereafter as a house of worship.
Architectural Style: French Renaissance Opening personnel included Catherine Bernower as organist and coming over from the Colonial Theatre after 11 years there was Orchestra Director “Professor” Roy Billings.
Indeed. I think C. Howard Crane might be deserving of minor credit here for designing the facade that was actually built for the theatre; although the Loew’s complex has nothing else in common with the Crane plans with Eberson designing 99% of the venue.
The venue had temporarily closed March 16, 2020 for COVID-19 along with virtually all other hardtop theater locations. The venue’s final stretch under Cineworld/Regal was from its reopening on May 21, 2021 to February 12, 2023.
Appears to have closed after the March 15, 1985 double feature of Julia Parton in “Pleasure Zone” and Sharon Thorpe in “Overnight Sensation.”
According to the local phone directory and newspaper, the Bijou was located at 21 North Augusta and was replaced by the Camp Shooting Gallery in 1910 before, itself, going out of business.
The Bijou opened September 5, 1907. “Ben Hur (1907)” was a big hit for the venue. E.F. Hoover was the last operator closing permanently on December 29, 1909. The “for sale” listing hit the local paper’s classified section the very next day running through January of 1910.
The Staunton Shopping Center was announced in 1963 and built in 1967/8. The Plaza Cinema Theatre was announced as an original tenant during the 1967 construction stage with a scheduled opening in early 1968. That opening did occur, albeit 15 months later on July 18, 1969 with “Oliver!” In advertising “Theatre” was often truncated. In 1978, R/C Theatres took on the venue dropping “Cinema” in favor of the Plaza Theatre moniker.
In November of 1985, the plaza announced that it would have a grand opening as the Staunton Mall in Fall 1986 in an expansion. In November of 1988, the venue was renamed Mall Movies as it was readying a transition to a multiplex. The full transition occurred on December 16, 1986 with R/C’s Mall Movies launching with “Land Before Time,” “Scrooged,” “Ernest Saves Christmas,” “My Stepmother was an Alien,” “Twins” and “Working Girl.” Regal purchased the location from R/C with its nameplate leaving on May 30, 1996 and becoming the Regal Staunton Mall Cinemas 6 the next day.
In 2010, the Mall was purchased by a new owner and there was a mutual agreement that Regal would vacate the property in favor of mall ownership as the Staunton Mall 6. The mall operator identified a new operator as Nova Cinemas on December 17, 2010 operating. Nova ankled the location on March 27, 2011 likely dreading a digital conversion.
That conversion would take place after a six year hiatus when Robert Harrison on December 15, 2017 as Legacy Theatres on a discount, sub-run policy. In 2017 and 2018, the mall slid into greyfield status - a term akin to a “dead mall.” It was a quick descent with the entire mall closing and being demolished. The theatre hung on until the announcement late in 2020.
The Arlington Theatre was located across the street from the Alhambra Theatre. It operated in a commercial district that was outside of downtown though highly accessible using the Arlington streetcar or the Market streetcar lines in the 1910s. The Arlington Theatre was another of the handful of theaters opened and operated by female owners. Margaret F. Manross had begun her career in the box office of a downtown theater back in 1911. The 25-year old learned the industry deciding to open here on February 4, 1916 with Lon Chaney in “Father and Sons.”
Manross would sell out to Carl Fish. Mr. Fish had operated the North Hills' Pastime Theater in 1917 and took on the Alhambra. He then purchased the Arlington to own both of the operations using the Arlington for exploitation and four-wall films, primarily. The venue appears to have been converted first to a grocery store and then to an auto parts store in the 1930s.
The nickelodeon period is fascinating with owners literally coming and going month to month trying to figure out how to make money in the industry. Others might get sued by Edison and the Motion Picture Patents Company for infringement. And some became successful exhibitors for decades. Wild times.
The local paper reports that the Staunton Grocery Company vacated this building at 23-25 North Augusta in 1909 and would be replaced by a new theatre first called the Arcadia followed by its naming as the Savoy and the Princess. The Arcadia launched here April 29, 1909 as a nickelodeon that featured Miss Coffman at the piano accompanying the films and slides.
The Arcadia closed in August of 1910 and was replaced by the Savoy Theater which was luanched by the Beverly Amusement Company (of the local Beverly Theatre, as well) on September 5, 1910. The venue played Biograph and Vitograph films and was a nickelodeon that competed (or didn’t) against the Wonderland and the Lyric .
Then A. Mack Mitt bought the Savoy in 1916 relaunching here as the Princess Theatre on November 25, 1916. Staunton Amusement took on the venue on September 1, 1918 and likely did so to remove competition. They quickly shuttered the Princess Theater here in October of 1918. A month later, the Salvation Army moved into the retrofitted space.
The aforementioned Wonderland opened March 22, 1907 and operated into 1911 before being offered for sale or lease. It was converted in 1911 to a printing operation for McClure Company at 27-29 North Augusta. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.
The Bijou opened September 5, 1907 and the New Lyric Theater (which has its own Cinema Treasure page) opened November 19, 1908 also on North Augusta.
The New Lyric opened here on November 19, 1908. It had 230 seats at that time with both an Edison projector and a Lubin player. Operator G.W. Mooney left the industry and the - then - Lyric Theatre was auctioned off on October 3, 1911. Auction ad in photos.
Horizon Cinemas closed on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on October 8, 2020. But the business climate had changed significantly. Almost a year after it had celebrated its 25th Anniversary, Horizon closing here permanently on February 12, 2023. They stated the following:
Did you know that our Beltway Plaza location grand opening was on March 7, 1997? As a locally owned family business, we have worked hard to provide an affordable entertainment option to the local community. It has truly been a daily effort from a dedicated mother, father, and two sons. Over the years, we have hosted countless birthday parties, fundraisers, field trips, and free summer kid’s movies. Unfortunately, we are sad to announce that our Beltway Plaza location is now permanently closed.
We tried our best to avoid closing, but the financial burden created by the pandemic and other factors has proved too much to overcome. Thank you to all of our customers and staff that have supported us over the past 26 years. Please check out our other locations in Aberdeen, Fallston, and Glen Burnie. We hope to see you soon!
The Alhambra Picture Theater launched on May 15, 1912 with films. The venue’s namer to the Alhambra Theatre. It appears to have closed late in 1924 when operator Carl Fish - he of Akron’s Pastime and Alhambra - took on the Arlington Theatre just across the street. This should be placed in the same neighborhood as the Arlington and the Miles Royal theaters.
Significant update from the former AMC Valley View. Hopes for a comeback have gone from zero to somehow less than zero as two fires broke out in the vacant theater on February 11, 2023. The City of Dallas wants the theatre razed by July 2023 so here’s hoping that the insurance checks for the fire damage will allow that to now take place.
The developers of the site, who hoped to have the entire project completed by 2017 and didn’t even get the demolition part of the project completed, have also made a significant addition to the site: there is now an ugly “For Sale” sign in front of the former mall as they hope someone can clean up the mess that they’ve made.
Also a correction - the final day of operation of th AMC Valley View was January 2, 2022
The “new” Buss General Store was built in 1892 after Hudson’s Great Fire of April 28, 1892 in which virtually all of downtown burned. Buss rebuilt but the store was.a Depression era casualty. Buss Block owner C.H. Giles leased the venue to Loren B. Solether who operated the Chagrin Falls Theatre. Projectionist Jerry Huff became the final owner of the Hudson with his wife Angie. They closed the Hudson Theatre on October 9, 1960 as television was helping to kill off its operational plan. The Huffs had an operating nut of $425 a week and could not meet that. The building was auctioned off in 1961 and was razed in May of 1962.
Opened as the Showtown USA Twin Drive-In and became the Showtown USA 3 Drive-In
Clint W. Kline built the Arcade Building in South Arkon in 1912 and 1913. The Arcade Theater launched there February 15, 1913 with motion pictures. The venue received a streamlined makeover in 1936 as the new-look New Arcade Theater. On October 9, 1938, the theatre rebranded as the Art Theater with a double feature of “Love Takes Flight” and “Killers of the Sea.” The theater’s movie run may have ended on March 6, 1939 as there are no further listings or ads until it is retrofitted as a house of worship. A Hungarian film with an appearance by Hungarian singer and Globe Records recording artist Margit Bodan may be the final Art Theater booking.
The venue became a house of worship in late 1939 and has retained that with a number of different host organizations from 1939 to the 2020s. Usage by the Southern Baptist Tabernacle suggests that the venue was renamed back to the Arcade Theater. The former Arcade Theater became the Akron Masjid Islamic Center in the 1990s to the 2020s.
Closed February 9, 2023 due to lack of patrons.
The Grand Theater was opened in 1906 by Mary Spach, Akron’s first female movie theater operator and just the third moving picture show in the city behind the Unique Theater (later Grotto Theater) and the Luna Theater (later Victor Theater). The name was a little contentious one as the Grand Opera House had used the name Grand Theatre upon its destruction by fire in March of 1905. Spach came in and built a quick space calling it the Grand. And the Grand Opera House on Main Street launched in 1907 and ran to 1921.
The old address of the Grand Theater venue was at 42 South Howard. It was returned to retail operation. And, in its last stand against Urban Renewal, it had become the long-running Old Book Store from the 1940s until being razed in 1967. The last days of the bookstore were captured and two photos are posted.
The Portage Theatre was a new-build movie house that launched December 12, 1915 with Theda Bara in “A Fool There Was.” In 1924, the theatre closed for over one month as it got a major refresh and, under new operator Frank S. Falkenberg, reopened with Norma Talmadge in “The Song of Love” on September 6, 1924.
Late in 1929, the theatre was equipped with sound by operator William I. Foutts to remain viable. After a new operator took on the venue, the Portage name was dropped in favor of the neighborhood’s Five Points moniker. The Five Points Theatre launched on November 19, 1937 with “Broadway Melody of 1938” and “One Mile From Heaven.” The new operator was Lorenzo Bozzelli who operated it with his sons, Arthur and Tony. The Bozellis closed the venue on June 7, 1951 with “Inside Straight” and “Great Manhunt.” The former Five Points / Portage was used soon thereafter as a house of worship.
JKRP Architects was tasked with the venue’s refresh and rejuvenation
Architectural Style: French Renaissance
Opening personnel included Catherine Bernower as organist and coming over from the Colonial Theatre after 11 years there was Orchestra Director “Professor” Roy Billings.
Indeed. I think C. Howard Crane might be deserving of minor credit here for designing the facade that was actually built for the theatre; although the Loew’s complex has nothing else in common with the Crane plans with Eberson designing 99% of the venue.
Final day of operation is February 12, 2023.
Final day of operation will be February 12, 2023.
The venue had temporarily closed March 16, 2020 for COVID-19 along with virtually all other hardtop theater locations. The venue’s final stretch under Cineworld/Regal was from its reopening on May 21, 2021 to February 12, 2023.
First day of operation: March 19, 1999. Closed temporarily: March 16, 2020 for COVID-19
Final day of operation is February 9, 2023
Final day of operation is February 9, 2023
Final date of operation is February 12, 2023.