The Shadeland Drive-In went out a winner on September 4, 1986 with a triple feature of “Armed & Dangerous,” “Ruthless People,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Ruth and Ernest Voight ran the amusement center complete with small amusement park, swimming pool, Westlake Dance Terrace, and Westlake Drive-in Theatre. The roots of the center date back to 1931 when Ernest Voight opened Westlake Beach and added the dance terrace in 1935. The drive-in was added on April 28th, 1950 operating through the 1981 season closing October 4, 1981 with “The Jerk” and “The Blues Brothers.” The ozoner was actually the last remaining item that existed in the amusement complex at that date. The Westlake Drive-In was demolished and replaced with a shopping center.
Recliners were installed in 2015. It’s a mouthful, but the theatre was soon saddled with the moniker of the Regal United Artists Galaxy Stadium Theatre & ScreenX. It closed with the rest of the chain on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regal… with ScreenX reopened in September of 2020 but closed October 4, 2020 with employees wondering if the venue would even reopen. Those with Regal gift cards, loyalty points or loyalty programs had three more days to cash them in at the last open Regal/UA/Cineworld DFW theatre in the Regal Fossil Creek which then closed with remainder of the circuit globally on October 8, 2020 for the pandemic.
But both the Fossil Creek and …with ScreenX surprised all by reopening on June 25, 2021 to present Fast and Furious 9. Recliners were installed in 2015. The theatre closed again on September 6, 2021 for what the Regal website called renovations. They appear to have temporarily shut down because a road closure on the frontage road made it virtually impossible to get to the theatre. The renovations appear to have been extremely limited with the major difference at reopening on October 8, 2021 is that the expanded menu / kitchen items have been removed as of the reopening.
Located just a half mile from where the famed Indy 500 race takes place was the “500” Speedway Shopping Center announced in 1954/5 with a scheduled but missed opening date in September of 1956. The not so speedy project finally opened theatre-less on November 30, 1960 anchored by a J.C. Penney, S.S. Kresge, Kroger grocer (whose presence lasted into the 2020s), and one of the final stores in the, then, century-old Vonnegut Hardware Company local chain. They were joined by a Topps Discount City “big box” store in 1962.
Ten years later, General Cinemas opened its newest area twin-screen facility, the Speedway Cinema I & II on December 22, 1972 with “Oliver” and “Jeremiah Johnson.” The venue featured two identical auditoriums with 456 seats each for a total of 912 seats. The GCC Speedway also featured an art gallery in the lobby as many of its theaters did in that period. It was one of seven theaters GCC had announced in the Indy area in 1972, alone.
General Cinema repositioned the Speedway as a sub-run discount house beginning on August 30, 1991. GCC closed the venue at the end of a 20-year lease point on July 23, 1992. CTS Heaston Circuit took on the venue on July 31, 1992. That only lasted until November 19, 1992 when CTS Heaston moved on. G&M Entertainment of Merrillville took on the venue next on August 25, 1993 after a refresh with a soft-launch and free showings of “The Sandlot” and “Hot Shots! Part Duex.”
About two operators later, Movie Craze Inc. was the last brave entrepreneur to take on the aging Speedway Cinema 1 & 2 which appears to have sputtered closing in February of 2000. Movie Craze announced bankruptcy in the tumultuous year of 2000 for the movie industry.
The Hollywood Bar and Filmworks had a large number of openings (Invitation-only opening October 18, 1991; VIP only opening November 1, 1991; Free soft launch to the public November 14, 1991; Grand Opening to everyone with “City Slickers” and “Terminator 2” on November 22, 1991). “Rocky Horror” was a good draw for the theatre. But the 2000s were a lean time for the third-floor venue and it ceased operations October 29, 2006.
The GCC Castleton Square Cinema IV-V-VI launched here on November 3, 1976 with “Shout at the Devil,” “I Wonder Who’s Killing Her Now,” and “Bugs Bunny Superstar.” The theatre was located in an outparcel building in the Northeast parking lot. It opened simultaneously with the new GCC Lafayette Square Cinemas II-III-IV.
Edward J. DeBartolo had launched Castleton Square Mall four years earlier with Sears' mall division, Homart Development Company. General Cinema was an original tenant opening its interior GCC Castleton Square I-II-III on September 29th, 1972. Plans for the theatre dated back to 1969. Cinema I seated 293, II seated 299 and III seated 384 for a total of 976 seats. That theatre would close with “The Firm” and “Jurassic Park” on July 1, 1993. Its address was 6020 East 82nd Avenue.
The GCC outparcel building, however, continued onward. It was renamed as the GCC Castleton Square (no numbers) after retaining the IV-V-VI for about a year. It was then rebranded as the General Cinema Castleton Square Arts on June 27, 1997 as GCC tried to compete with megaplexes that were destroying it business model. This move proved successful and a mecca for art film and indie film fans in Indy.
GCC declared bankruptcy in October of 2001 and its carcass was sold off to AMC in 2002. AMC rebranded here as the AMC Castleton Arts 3 on April 6, 2002. When Landmark announced a 7-screen art cinema, AMC decided to move on from the aging triplex. The AMC Castleton Arts 3 cllosed with “Capote,” “Shopgirl,” and “Pride and Prejudice” on November 27, 2005.
The open-air Greenwood Shopping Center had opened theatre-less with anchors Sears and A.S. Ayres along with an MCL Cafeteria and a Kroger grocery store in 1965. The Greenwood Shopping center was said to have been the tail end of a trend of open air malls including St. Louis' Northwest Plaza that were largely replaced over the next ten to twenty years with enclosed malls. In fact both of these 1965 projects became enclosed malls.
The General Cinema Greenwood Cinema I-II-III opened in the Greenwood Shopping Center on December 21, 1973 with “Robin Hood,” “The Seven Ups,” and “Ash Wednesday.” Theatre I had 632 seats, Theatre II had 334 and Theatre III had 281 seats for a total of 1,247 seats. The theatre was freestanding in the Northeast area of the center.
Five years later, Melvin Simon decided to spend $20 million to enclose and expand the Greenwood Shopping Center. On October 19, 1979, GCC Greenwood’s Screen I was divided into two auditoriums with the venue being called the GCC Greenwood Cinema I-II-III-IV. The Greenwood Park Shopping Center would become the Greenwood Park Mall officially in 1980. The theatre’s name was again tweaked to the GCC Greenwood Park Cinema I-II-III-IV.
General Cinema decided to take a portion of the interior mall to create its latest triplex, the Greenwood Park Cinema V-VI-VII opening on June 5, 1981. That theatre closed as the Greenwood Plaza Cinema 5-7 (roman numerals had been dropped) on April 11, 1999 with General Cinema in major economic trouble.
In January of 2000, GCC showed some spunk building a 14-screen megaplex at Greenwood Park Mall - its only effort at stadium seating in town - to replace its aging interior quad. The GCC Greenwood Park 1-4 closed on March 23, 2000. The next day, the new megaplex opened and seven months later, GCC declared bankruptcy.
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. The first theatre there was an original tenant and was an interior 925-seat single-screen operation for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Due to the success of both the mall and the cinema, GCC would add this exterior outparcel triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976 in the southeast corner of the mall at 4220 West 38th Street.
The interior screen facility was duplexed in 1977. The interior venue was renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use, the interior’s new name caused the exterior facility to be renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square III-IV-V. Confused customers arriving at the wrong “II” were simply directed inside or outside. Modern megaplexes challenged GCC’s aging duplexes, triplexes and 6- and 8-screen multiplexes in the mid-1990s but these two venues held their own.
The interior I-II finally closed at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998. The exterior was renamed one final time carrying on as the Lafayette Square Cinema (Roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000 when General Cinema was in free fall economic collapse and closing its older multiplexes all over the country.
The naming of the theaters here is a bit of an oddity in that the opening name of the original interior theatre became the closing name of the exterior. Had they simply renamed the exterior as the GCC Lafayette Square I-II-III, it would have held the distinction of the circuit’s only theatre in its history to hold the names of the xx I-II-III, II-III-IV, and III-IV-V. Somebody missed a bet!
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. An original tenant in the Mall’s interior was a 925-seat single-screen theater for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) known at opening as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Mia Farrow was in person for “Rosemary’s Baby” on that date, June 26th, 1968, and both the film and the actress were substitutes when Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward cancelled a special appearance.
Due to the Mall and cinema’s successes, GCC would add an exterior triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976. The interior screen was duplexed in 1977 becoming the General Cinema Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use outside, the new name created short-term roman numeral havoc with the exterior facility which became the General Cinema Lafayette Square III-IV-V. The I-II interior space managed to survive into the multiplex era closing at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998 with “He Got Game” and a split screen of “Mercury Rising” and “Barney’s Great Adventure.” The exterior carried on as the General Cinema Lafayette Square (roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000.
Joe Cantor and his Priority Theatres' South 31 Drive-In opened September 29, 1965. The adjoining Regency 1 & 2 opened less than two months later on November 10, 1965 with “The Ipcress File” and “The Bedford Incident.” Cantor had also opened the new Georgetown in August of 1965 and the Carlyle.
Land values increased near the Regency Indoor/Outdoor operation and, in 1983, Skinner and Broadbent had the buildings bulldozed in favor of a new-build shopping plaza, Greenwood Point and Greenwood Place. The hardtop twin theatre closed on January 27, 1983 but Priority Theatres said that the move was probably two years later than it should have been for the aging properties which had faced declining audiences.
Both structures were razed not long after the drive-in finished its final season. The South 31 Drive-In - with its massive 1,600 car lot - was only attracting about 100 cars nightly. The ozoner closed for the season on September 4, 1983 with “Time Riders,” “Hells Angels Forever,” and “The Rose.” A Cub Foods and later Burlington Coat Factory anchored the plaza that replaced the two movie venues.
The Norgate Plaza Shopping Center was announced in 1969 and Loews signed on to lease the $450,000 twin-screen 1,500-seat twin-screen project as it was closing its downtown theatre in 1970. The theatre launched on a 25-year lease with “The Skin Game” and “Johnny Got His Gun” on October 6, 1971. The mural work with legendary screen stars survived from opening to closing. A special “Skin Game” cake was at the launch as it was Warner Bros.‘ 1,500 film release.
The Loews II was closed on November 13, 1978 as the 750-seat theatre was split into two 375 auditoriums when the venue became the Loews Norgate Triplex as relaunch on December 22, 1978. In 1993, the Norgate I was duplexed and the venue became known as the Loews Norgate Plaza Quad.
About a year later, this venue changed names in November of 1994 to the Sony Norgate Plaza 4 when Loews and Sony were one and the company rebranded many venues under the Sony nameplate. Sony/Loews dropped the Norgate Plaza on October 31, 1996 at the end of a 25-year lease. Jeff Rawlins of Movie Craze Cinema Inc. or MCCI Theatres circuit took on the venue relaunching the next day, November 1, 1996 as Norgate Cinemas 4 - now a discount, sub-run venue. The final screenings were held November 20, 1998.
An independent operation was then formed to try and reopen the Norgate in 1999/2000 but the relaunch did not materialize. The Norgate comeback officially dissolved after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in April of 2000 reflecting assets of $0 - which makes perfect sense if one thinks about it.
This was one of the first four of five area Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas that was announced in June of 1970. The South Keystone Shopping Plaza was a new-build, nondescript location anchored by an IGA grocery store and a drug store as well as the Jerry Lewis Keystone Twin Cinema. The cinema launched November 16, 1971 with “The Omega Man” and “The $1,000,000 Duck.” The parent company of the Jerry Lewis Circuit would go into a financial free fall toward bankruptcy in a year and all five of the local former Lewis theatres rebranded with short-term independent names (this one became the South Keystone Twin Cinema) until they were picked up by United Cinema of Indiana Inc. on May 23, 1973 headed by veteran Loew’s Rochester Theatre manager Lester Pollock. United appears to have folded in May of 1976.
The theatre - along with the other former Lewis Circuit locations - was picked up by CTS Heaston Theatres. Heaston repositioned the venue as a second-run discount house. It then added VHS movie rentals in a club pricing policy in October of 1983. In 1992, CTS Theatres (Heaston removed from the picture) took on the location dropping it in 1995. It reopened under independent operation, on October 27, 1995 still as a sub-run discount house. Ron Keedy repositioned the venue as a first-run art house and used his surname to good effect renaming it as the Key Cinemas.
The Key hosted the International Film Festival and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Film Festival. It also brought to town films that other circuits wouldn’t bring to Indy. When Landmark opened its Keystone Art Cinema on December 9, 2005, Keedy changed the name of the venue to the Key Cinemas Beech Grove and returned to sub-run discount operations. Regular operation was discontinued following March 20, 2008 screenings. It’s double-gang attractor said “Farewell to the Key” and the “ghost sign” of the Key Cinema in the rear of the shopping plaza was still quite visible in the 2020s.
Cobb Theatres opened the Regency Square 8 on November 28, 1986. Regal acquired the Cobb Theatre Circuit on June 11, 1997. It then built the Regal Treasure Coast 16 megaplex opening March 16, 1986 and downgrading its aging Regency multiplex to a sub-run discount house. Patrons were disinterested and it closed quickly thereafter on May 13, 2001.
Entertainment Film Works - the heir apparent to the Cinema ‘n" Drafthouse followed by Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia - relaunched here on May 17, 2002 with “Star Wars Episode 2.” All the EFW Theatres were closed for failure to pay leases. This one went out in style with deputies removing equipment. BMC Cinemas took over the venue on April 4, 2003 with a reopening. Epic Theatres took on the venue running it into the 2020s.
It was reopened on October 2, 1998 as the Lexington Cinema Grill as a franchisee of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. It was closed on June 3, 1999.
At the expiry of a 50-year lease n 1997, the Covedale received a $150,000 makeover and relaunched as the Covedale Cinema Grill. It was a franchisee of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. It was split into two screens of 200 patrons each opening January 8, 1998. It closed in 2001 and was transformed to a live venue.
The next operator was Keith McKeague and John Appleton of Great Concepts were associated with Cinema ‘n’ Drafthouse Circuit which became Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Atlanta in the late 1980s until Brian Shultz took it on in 1992.
Jim and John Duffy began the Cinema Drafthouse concept in Orlando running theatres under the Cinema ‘n’ Drafhouse. They moved the operation to Atlanta under the banner of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia, This location became one of the longest running in their circuit opening July 20, 1984.
Became the North Springs Cinema Grill operated by Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia in October of 1993 closing on September 30, 2000. It was auctioned off in a bank foreclosure auction October 17, 2000 including the projection and sound equipment.
The 19th location for Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia was here launching October 30, 1999 after the Terrace Tap House folded in 1998. The Cinema Grill appears to have closed after just five months on April 16, 2000. Two lawsuits - one that occurred during the construction and one for apparent lease default - ended the franchise and the entire premises were auctioned off including projectors on November 14, 2001.
Purchased at auction, it was then refreshed one last time with the projectors. It became the twin-screen nightclub, bar and sometimes movie theatre, The Fairbanks. It hosted special interest screenings and film festivals although was mostly known as a bar and nightclub. It then became the Exotic Night Club dropping films but also serving underage drinkers which appears to be its undoing in 2013. It then became an art studio and then an event center. Well you pretty well get the picture.
The Greenbriar Shopping Center (not Greenbrier) was announced as a project in 1963 to be theatre-less. The project’s official Phase I grand opening took place in December of 1969 with Rich’s Department Store as a main anchor. Its theatre-less status changed during Phase II of the complex when the fourth of five area Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema opened on December 21, 1972 with “They Only Kill Their Masters” and “Butterflies are Free.”
Unfortunately, by that time, the Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit was going into free fall economic woes leading to the filing of bankruptcy of the parent company. With little support from the mother ship, all five of the local former Lewis theatres were picked up by United Cinema of Indiana Inc. on May 23, 1973 headed by veteran Loew’s Rochester Theatre manager Lester Pollock. United appears to have folded in May of 1976
Next, under Heaston Theatres' operation beginning in September of 1976, the Greenbriar was downgraded to a sub-run dollar discount venue. It then added VHS movie rentals in a club pricing policy in July of 1983. It was dropped at the end of a 20-year lease in 1992.
CTS Theatres took on the location on a new 20-year lease in April of 1992. In December of 1995, under independent operation, the theatre closed briefly for a refresh and a brief return to first-run status. It then passed to MCCI Theatres which closed it as a second-run house on October 5, 1999 when a new operator decided to refresh it once again.
Jeff Rawlins, formerly of the Norgate (which closed), the Glendale (which closed), and the Woodland (which closed), jumped next to the Greenbriar and Ron Hahn upgraded it to the Greenbriar Cinema Grill on January 21, 2000 with “Sleepy Hollow” and “The World is Not Enough.” It was the 20th location for Atlanta-based Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. The Greenbriar Cinema Grill proved popular though closed at the end of lease on May 31, 2012.
Carmike took on the venue and closed it as the Latrobe Twin Cinemas following the January 14, 1999 screenings. It next became the Lonestar Cinema Grill launching September 14, 2001 with “Planet of the Apes,” “American Pie 2” and “Jurassic Park III.” It was a franchise of Cinema Grill Systems of Georgia and appears to have closed on August 30, 2003.
The Shadeland Drive-In went out a winner on September 4, 1986 with a triple feature of “Armed & Dangerous,” “Ruthless People,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Ruth and Ernest Voight ran the amusement center complete with small amusement park, swimming pool, Westlake Dance Terrace, and Westlake Drive-in Theatre. The roots of the center date back to 1931 when Ernest Voight opened Westlake Beach and added the dance terrace in 1935. The drive-in was added on April 28th, 1950 operating through the 1981 season closing October 4, 1981 with “The Jerk” and “The Blues Brothers.” The ozoner was actually the last remaining item that existed in the amusement complex at that date. The Westlake Drive-In was demolished and replaced with a shopping center.
Recliners were installed in 2015. It’s a mouthful, but the theatre was soon saddled with the moniker of the Regal United Artists Galaxy Stadium Theatre & ScreenX. It closed with the rest of the chain on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regal… with ScreenX reopened in September of 2020 but closed October 4, 2020 with employees wondering if the venue would even reopen. Those with Regal gift cards, loyalty points or loyalty programs had three more days to cash them in at the last open Regal/UA/Cineworld DFW theatre in the Regal Fossil Creek which then closed with remainder of the circuit globally on October 8, 2020 for the pandemic.
But both the Fossil Creek and …with ScreenX surprised all by reopening on June 25, 2021 to present Fast and Furious 9. Recliners were installed in 2015. The theatre closed again on September 6, 2021 for what the Regal website called renovations. They appear to have temporarily shut down because a road closure on the frontage road made it virtually impossible to get to the theatre. The renovations appear to have been extremely limited with the major difference at reopening on October 8, 2021 is that the expanded menu / kitchen items have been removed as of the reopening.
Located just a half mile from where the famed Indy 500 race takes place was the “500” Speedway Shopping Center announced in 1954/5 with a scheduled but missed opening date in September of 1956. The not so speedy project finally opened theatre-less on November 30, 1960 anchored by a J.C. Penney, S.S. Kresge, Kroger grocer (whose presence lasted into the 2020s), and one of the final stores in the, then, century-old Vonnegut Hardware Company local chain. They were joined by a Topps Discount City “big box” store in 1962.
Ten years later, General Cinemas opened its newest area twin-screen facility, the Speedway Cinema I & II on December 22, 1972 with “Oliver” and “Jeremiah Johnson.” The venue featured two identical auditoriums with 456 seats each for a total of 912 seats. The GCC Speedway also featured an art gallery in the lobby as many of its theaters did in that period. It was one of seven theaters GCC had announced in the Indy area in 1972, alone.
General Cinema repositioned the Speedway as a sub-run discount house beginning on August 30, 1991. GCC closed the venue at the end of a 20-year lease point on July 23, 1992. CTS Heaston Circuit took on the venue on July 31, 1992. That only lasted until November 19, 1992 when CTS Heaston moved on. G&M Entertainment of Merrillville took on the venue next on August 25, 1993 after a refresh with a soft-launch and free showings of “The Sandlot” and “Hot Shots! Part Duex.”
About two operators later, Movie Craze Inc. was the last brave entrepreneur to take on the aging Speedway Cinema 1 & 2 which appears to have sputtered closing in February of 2000. Movie Craze announced bankruptcy in the tumultuous year of 2000 for the movie industry.
The Hollywood Bar and Filmworks had a large number of openings (Invitation-only opening October 18, 1991; VIP only opening November 1, 1991; Free soft launch to the public November 14, 1991; Grand Opening to everyone with “City Slickers” and “Terminator 2” on November 22, 1991). “Rocky Horror” was a good draw for the theatre. But the 2000s were a lean time for the third-floor venue and it ceased operations October 29, 2006.
The GCC Castleton Square Cinema IV-V-VI launched here on November 3, 1976 with “Shout at the Devil,” “I Wonder Who’s Killing Her Now,” and “Bugs Bunny Superstar.” The theatre was located in an outparcel building in the Northeast parking lot. It opened simultaneously with the new GCC Lafayette Square Cinemas II-III-IV.
Edward J. DeBartolo had launched Castleton Square Mall four years earlier with Sears' mall division, Homart Development Company. General Cinema was an original tenant opening its interior GCC Castleton Square I-II-III on September 29th, 1972. Plans for the theatre dated back to 1969. Cinema I seated 293, II seated 299 and III seated 384 for a total of 976 seats. That theatre would close with “The Firm” and “Jurassic Park” on July 1, 1993. Its address was 6020 East 82nd Avenue.
The GCC outparcel building, however, continued onward. It was renamed as the GCC Castleton Square (no numbers) after retaining the IV-V-VI for about a year. It was then rebranded as the General Cinema Castleton Square Arts on June 27, 1997 as GCC tried to compete with megaplexes that were destroying it business model. This move proved successful and a mecca for art film and indie film fans in Indy.
GCC declared bankruptcy in October of 2001 and its carcass was sold off to AMC in 2002. AMC rebranded here as the AMC Castleton Arts 3 on April 6, 2002. When Landmark announced a 7-screen art cinema, AMC decided to move on from the aging triplex. The AMC Castleton Arts 3 cllosed with “Capote,” “Shopgirl,” and “Pride and Prejudice” on November 27, 2005.
The open-air Greenwood Shopping Center had opened theatre-less with anchors Sears and A.S. Ayres along with an MCL Cafeteria and a Kroger grocery store in 1965. The Greenwood Shopping center was said to have been the tail end of a trend of open air malls including St. Louis' Northwest Plaza that were largely replaced over the next ten to twenty years with enclosed malls. In fact both of these 1965 projects became enclosed malls.
The General Cinema Greenwood Cinema I-II-III opened in the Greenwood Shopping Center on December 21, 1973 with “Robin Hood,” “The Seven Ups,” and “Ash Wednesday.” Theatre I had 632 seats, Theatre II had 334 and Theatre III had 281 seats for a total of 1,247 seats. The theatre was freestanding in the Northeast area of the center.
Five years later, Melvin Simon decided to spend $20 million to enclose and expand the Greenwood Shopping Center. On October 19, 1979, GCC Greenwood’s Screen I was divided into two auditoriums with the venue being called the GCC Greenwood Cinema I-II-III-IV. The Greenwood Park Shopping Center would become the Greenwood Park Mall officially in 1980. The theatre’s name was again tweaked to the GCC Greenwood Park Cinema I-II-III-IV.
General Cinema decided to take a portion of the interior mall to create its latest triplex, the Greenwood Park Cinema V-VI-VII opening on June 5, 1981. That theatre closed as the Greenwood Plaza Cinema 5-7 (roman numerals had been dropped) on April 11, 1999 with General Cinema in major economic trouble.
In January of 2000, GCC showed some spunk building a 14-screen megaplex at Greenwood Park Mall - its only effort at stadium seating in town - to replace its aging interior quad. The GCC Greenwood Park 1-4 closed on March 23, 2000. The next day, the new megaplex opened and seven months later, GCC declared bankruptcy.
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. The first theatre there was an original tenant and was an interior 925-seat single-screen operation for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Due to the success of both the mall and the cinema, GCC would add this exterior outparcel triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976 in the southeast corner of the mall at 4220 West 38th Street.
The interior screen facility was duplexed in 1977. The interior venue was renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use, the interior’s new name caused the exterior facility to be renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square III-IV-V. Confused customers arriving at the wrong “II” were simply directed inside or outside. Modern megaplexes challenged GCC’s aging duplexes, triplexes and 6- and 8-screen multiplexes in the mid-1990s but these two venues held their own.
The interior I-II finally closed at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998. The exterior was renamed one final time carrying on as the Lafayette Square Cinema (Roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000 when General Cinema was in free fall economic collapse and closing its older multiplexes all over the country.
The naming of the theaters here is a bit of an oddity in that the opening name of the original interior theatre became the closing name of the exterior. Had they simply renamed the exterior as the GCC Lafayette Square I-II-III, it would have held the distinction of the circuit’s only theatre in its history to hold the names of the xx I-II-III, II-III-IV, and III-IV-V. Somebody missed a bet!
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. An original tenant in the Mall’s interior was a 925-seat single-screen theater for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) known at opening as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Mia Farrow was in person for “Rosemary’s Baby” on that date, June 26th, 1968, and both the film and the actress were substitutes when Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward cancelled a special appearance.
Due to the Mall and cinema’s successes, GCC would add an exterior triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976. The interior screen was duplexed in 1977 becoming the General Cinema Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use outside, the new name created short-term roman numeral havoc with the exterior facility which became the General Cinema Lafayette Square III-IV-V. The I-II interior space managed to survive into the multiplex era closing at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998 with “He Got Game” and a split screen of “Mercury Rising” and “Barney’s Great Adventure.” The exterior carried on as the General Cinema Lafayette Square (roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000.
Joe Cantor and his Priority Theatres' South 31 Drive-In opened September 29, 1965. The adjoining Regency 1 & 2 opened less than two months later on November 10, 1965 with “The Ipcress File” and “The Bedford Incident.” Cantor had also opened the new Georgetown in August of 1965 and the Carlyle.
Land values increased near the Regency Indoor/Outdoor operation and, in 1983, Skinner and Broadbent had the buildings bulldozed in favor of a new-build shopping plaza, Greenwood Point and Greenwood Place. The hardtop twin theatre closed on January 27, 1983 but Priority Theatres said that the move was probably two years later than it should have been for the aging properties which had faced declining audiences.
Both structures were razed not long after the drive-in finished its final season. The South 31 Drive-In - with its massive 1,600 car lot - was only attracting about 100 cars nightly. The ozoner closed for the season on September 4, 1983 with “Time Riders,” “Hells Angels Forever,” and “The Rose.” A Cub Foods and later Burlington Coat Factory anchored the plaza that replaced the two movie venues.
East Coast Entertainment reopened here in 2021.
Ad looking for a manager for the Loews Norgate Triplex after it split screen II two ways.
The Norgate Plaza Shopping Center was announced in 1969 and Loews signed on to lease the $450,000 twin-screen 1,500-seat twin-screen project as it was closing its downtown theatre in 1970. The theatre launched on a 25-year lease with “The Skin Game” and “Johnny Got His Gun” on October 6, 1971. The mural work with legendary screen stars survived from opening to closing. A special “Skin Game” cake was at the launch as it was Warner Bros.‘ 1,500 film release.
The Loews II was closed on November 13, 1978 as the 750-seat theatre was split into two 375 auditoriums when the venue became the Loews Norgate Triplex as relaunch on December 22, 1978. In 1993, the Norgate I was duplexed and the venue became known as the Loews Norgate Plaza Quad.
About a year later, this venue changed names in November of 1994 to the Sony Norgate Plaza 4 when Loews and Sony were one and the company rebranded many venues under the Sony nameplate. Sony/Loews dropped the Norgate Plaza on October 31, 1996 at the end of a 25-year lease. Jeff Rawlins of Movie Craze Cinema Inc. or MCCI Theatres circuit took on the venue relaunching the next day, November 1, 1996 as Norgate Cinemas 4 - now a discount, sub-run venue. The final screenings were held November 20, 1998.
An independent operation was then formed to try and reopen the Norgate in 1999/2000 but the relaunch did not materialize. The Norgate comeback officially dissolved after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in April of 2000 reflecting assets of $0 - which makes perfect sense if one thinks about it.
This was one of the first four of five area Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas that was announced in June of 1970. The South Keystone Shopping Plaza was a new-build, nondescript location anchored by an IGA grocery store and a drug store as well as the Jerry Lewis Keystone Twin Cinema. The cinema launched November 16, 1971 with “The Omega Man” and “The $1,000,000 Duck.” The parent company of the Jerry Lewis Circuit would go into a financial free fall toward bankruptcy in a year and all five of the local former Lewis theatres rebranded with short-term independent names (this one became the South Keystone Twin Cinema) until they were picked up by United Cinema of Indiana Inc. on May 23, 1973 headed by veteran Loew’s Rochester Theatre manager Lester Pollock. United appears to have folded in May of 1976.
The theatre - along with the other former Lewis Circuit locations - was picked up by CTS Heaston Theatres. Heaston repositioned the venue as a second-run discount house. It then added VHS movie rentals in a club pricing policy in October of 1983. In 1992, CTS Theatres (Heaston removed from the picture) took on the location dropping it in 1995. It reopened under independent operation, on October 27, 1995 still as a sub-run discount house. Ron Keedy repositioned the venue as a first-run art house and used his surname to good effect renaming it as the Key Cinemas.
The Key hosted the International Film Festival and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Film Festival. It also brought to town films that other circuits wouldn’t bring to Indy. When Landmark opened its Keystone Art Cinema on December 9, 2005, Keedy changed the name of the venue to the Key Cinemas Beech Grove and returned to sub-run discount operations. Regular operation was discontinued following March 20, 2008 screenings. It’s double-gang attractor said “Farewell to the Key” and the “ghost sign” of the Key Cinema in the rear of the shopping plaza was still quite visible in the 2020s.
The building still stands at 207 Main Street as of the 2020s.
Cobb Theatres opened the Regency Square 8 on November 28, 1986. Regal acquired the Cobb Theatre Circuit on June 11, 1997. It then built the Regal Treasure Coast 16 megaplex opening March 16, 1986 and downgrading its aging Regency multiplex to a sub-run discount house. Patrons were disinterested and it closed quickly thereafter on May 13, 2001.
Entertainment Film Works - the heir apparent to the Cinema ‘n" Drafthouse followed by Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia - relaunched here on May 17, 2002 with “Star Wars Episode 2.” All the EFW Theatres were closed for failure to pay leases. This one went out in style with deputies removing equipment. BMC Cinemas took over the venue on April 4, 2003 with a reopening. Epic Theatres took on the venue running it into the 2020s.
It was reopened on October 2, 1998 as the Lexington Cinema Grill as a franchisee of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. It was closed on June 3, 1999.
At the expiry of a 50-year lease n 1997, the Covedale received a $150,000 makeover and relaunched as the Covedale Cinema Grill. It was a franchisee of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. It was split into two screens of 200 patrons each opening January 8, 1998. It closed in 2001 and was transformed to a live venue.
The next operator was Keith McKeague and John Appleton of Great Concepts were associated with Cinema ‘n’ Drafthouse Circuit which became Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Atlanta in the late 1980s until Brian Shultz took it on in 1992.
Reopened July 1, 2005 as the Valley View Cinema Grill 10 as a franchise of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Atlanta.
Jim and John Duffy began the Cinema Drafthouse concept in Orlando running theatres under the Cinema ‘n’ Drafhouse. They moved the operation to Atlanta under the banner of the Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia, This location became one of the longest running in their circuit opening July 20, 1984.
Became the North Springs Cinema Grill operated by Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia in October of 1993 closing on September 30, 2000. It was auctioned off in a bank foreclosure auction October 17, 2000 including the projection and sound equipment.
The 19th location for Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia was here launching October 30, 1999 after the Terrace Tap House folded in 1998. The Cinema Grill appears to have closed after just five months on April 16, 2000. Two lawsuits - one that occurred during the construction and one for apparent lease default - ended the franchise and the entire premises were auctioned off including projectors on November 14, 2001.
Purchased at auction, it was then refreshed one last time with the projectors. It became the twin-screen nightclub, bar and sometimes movie theatre, The Fairbanks. It hosted special interest screenings and film festivals although was mostly known as a bar and nightclub. It then became the Exotic Night Club dropping films but also serving underage drinkers which appears to be its undoing in 2013. It then became an art studio and then an event center. Well you pretty well get the picture.
The Greenbriar Shopping Center (not Greenbrier) was announced as a project in 1963 to be theatre-less. The project’s official Phase I grand opening took place in December of 1969 with Rich’s Department Store as a main anchor. Its theatre-less status changed during Phase II of the complex when the fourth of five area Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema opened on December 21, 1972 with “They Only Kill Their Masters” and “Butterflies are Free.”
Unfortunately, by that time, the Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit was going into free fall economic woes leading to the filing of bankruptcy of the parent company. With little support from the mother ship, all five of the local former Lewis theatres were picked up by United Cinema of Indiana Inc. on May 23, 1973 headed by veteran Loew’s Rochester Theatre manager Lester Pollock. United appears to have folded in May of 1976
Next, under Heaston Theatres' operation beginning in September of 1976, the Greenbriar was downgraded to a sub-run dollar discount venue. It then added VHS movie rentals in a club pricing policy in July of 1983. It was dropped at the end of a 20-year lease in 1992.
CTS Theatres took on the location on a new 20-year lease in April of 1992. In December of 1995, under independent operation, the theatre closed briefly for a refresh and a brief return to first-run status. It then passed to MCCI Theatres which closed it as a second-run house on October 5, 1999 when a new operator decided to refresh it once again.
Jeff Rawlins, formerly of the Norgate (which closed), the Glendale (which closed), and the Woodland (which closed), jumped next to the Greenbriar and Ron Hahn upgraded it to the Greenbriar Cinema Grill on January 21, 2000 with “Sleepy Hollow” and “The World is Not Enough.” It was the 20th location for Atlanta-based Cinema Grill Systems Circuit of Georgia. The Greenbriar Cinema Grill proved popular though closed at the end of lease on May 31, 2012.
Carmike took on the venue and closed it as the Latrobe Twin Cinemas following the January 14, 1999 screenings. It next became the Lonestar Cinema Grill launching September 14, 2001 with “Planet of the Apes,” “American Pie 2” and “Jurassic Park III.” It was a franchise of Cinema Grill Systems of Georgia and appears to have closed on August 30, 2003.