Wasn’t this operated by Litchfield, or something similar in 1990? I was last here in 2004, and was surpised as to how poor its condition had deteriorated to.
My most prominent memory of this theatre occured on 12/31/1999, at about 9:00pm. While about halfway through “Sleepy Hollow”, the millenium bug must have his somewhere, as the power went out for about 3-5 minutes. Still haven’t seen the whole movie, as they didn’t restart it where it stopped, lost a couple of minutes. Never saw what happened to Casper Van Dien. Funny, haven’t seen him any movie since, either. :)
Even more curious about the Hoyts issue is they operated a small multiplex southwest of Buffalo for a few years in the mid 1990’s not of their design or construction.
Fredonia was named the best small town to live in WNY by some WNY business magazine a couple of months ago. And as long as gas prices keep going up, I think a reasonably done viewing environment in the D-F area could do well. In my lifetime there has not been a reasonably done venue. (I admit I haven’t been to the opera house since reconstruction, but movies are not its prime function.) The multiplex in town was horibly constructed, and changed hands 3-4 times since it opened in 1990.
Having lived out of town for years, I realize now that the grass isn’t greener. When retirement comes in about 7 years, its either back to Dunkirk, or off to Ithaca. I did my time in Cali and Vegas. Some decent theatres there, but to costly to live. Even here in WV I pay more for a house than I would in WNY, even though taxes are less. I would have to live in WV a long time for the cheaper taxes to pay off. And now that gas costs the same here and there, I’ll take there. After all, there has Niagara Falls. Here we have folks who bicker over whether WVU or Marshall is better.
I’m curious about how things go, as I may need to figure out how to finance a theatre or two. Especially in how to reclaim a DI from the weeds. :)
If it were East Kentucky, I do what I could, but TN is to far away. I spend most of my free time heading back to NY.
Why not revive VB Drive-in? With a manament that cares, I bet it would work. Not to disparage the previous operators, I don’t think they really cared about any of the venues in the area. Nor, it seems, does the current owner of the multiplex in town. I see oportunities. But you folks have 7 years to do something. :)
I am a bit perplexed about the Dipson thing. The Cine had a Dipson sign on it back into the 70’s, and yet Dalton and his dog were selling tickets at the same time. I recall him sitting in his beat up old wagon, waiting until he felt it was time to open the doors. Did he sell out to Dipson, then continue to work for them until he couldn’t anymore?
I only saw one movie at Cinema One. Don’t recall the bats. But I do recall that is was the worst of the three theatres in town, and as soon as I had a car, I would drive to Buffalo to see movies. Long live the long gone AMC Holiday theatres.
Seems inaccuracy is a recurring theme. :) He lists the State Theater in Dunkirk, but we don’t here. (Perhaps that is a fault of mine, as I made the most Dunkirk entries, but I did want at least some information about it before i made the entry. Urban “renewal” desroyed most of Dunkirk before I really had a chance to get to know the town.)
Just out of curiousity, have the folks who know better advised him of his errors, and tried to help him put out a more accurate product, or do we just ignore the errors, whine about the innacurracies, and try to get our information elsewhere hoping that others have a better lock on fact checking? After all, this theater would have about 5 entries, were it not for all the back and forth about the error that was here.
William – Thanks for the reference. Time to see if I can find access to as manny issues as possible in my library (I live in WV, I don’t hold out much hope) to get a better picture of venues in northern Chautauqua County.
Seems inaccuracy is a recurring theme. :) He lists the State Theater in Dunkirk, but we don’t here. (Perhaps that is a fault of mine, as I made the most Dunkirk entries, but I did want at least some information about it before i made the entry. Urban “renewal” desroyed most of Dunkirk before I really had a chance to get to know the town.)
Just out of curiousity, have the folks who know better advised him of his errors, and tried to help him put out a more accurate product, or do we just ignore the errors, whine about the innacurracies, and try to get our information elsewhere hoping that others have a better lock on fact checking? After all, this theater would have about 5 entries, were it not for all the back and forth about the error that was here.
William – Thanks for the reference. Time to see if I can find access to as manny issues as possible in my library (I live in WV, I don’t hold out much hope) to get a better picture of venues in northern Chautauqua County.
You can get an excel reader from microsoft. I don’t know whether this makes unable to be gamed by virii or not.
I gave a source for Dipson operating the theatre. I can’t be responsible for lack of interest or desire in the source. That doesn’t mean that the source is invalid, however.
As I get the time I may try and talk this guy into redoing his website so that it doesn’t involve a spreadsheet, but that not exactly on the top of list of things to do. In the Regent messages someone mentioned a “yearbook” website that included a photo of the interior of the Regent. I made some suggestions to that author, and offered help. He doesn’t return my e-mail anymore, and he went to school with my brother. :) Anyhow, any changes that he would make will be because he wants to, and has the time to, not because I say anything. Since his site involves a couple of countries, and more than a couple of theaters, any changes will be huge.
Also, you can use “open office” as your spreadsheet program, and since it doesn’t use the same macro language (the issue with excel virii) then you should be clean with any excel virii. But it is up to you. (But I sure wouldn’t download open office just to read this spreadsheet. :)
Hopefully this will work out. Here is the projection booth of the Van Buren Drive-In. If you look close, you can see it beyond all the overgrowth. If you guys want larger pictures, let me know. View link
Now doubt easier for you, as I have lived out of town for 16+ years, and until 2 years ago, across the Mississippi for 7 of them. I am kind of disappointed that the buldozer got to the Cine before I could get there with my camera.
If only the Dunkirk Free Library had their printing microfilm viewer operational. Then I could have printed the ad for the drive-in dating the closure at or after May of 1992/1992. (Memory fades.)
Patsy – This means that it has been nonfunctional for only 14/15 years, although I will admit that it sure looks like it has been dead for significantly longer than that. I doubt there was much care taken of the place in 30 years, perhaps longer.
Mike – I can’t say I am happy with the way this guy has his site set up. I did contact him yester about an error, and he corrected it quickly. I guess now it is time to have him fix it a bit more so that you don’t have to download stuff. Because he is located in Quebec, I didn’t want to assume complete knowledge of english before getting in a long drawn out discussion. :)
I have some pictures of the drive-in that I took this past week. I am not quite certain I want to post them anywhere, as they make the venue look fairly sad. Everything is overgrown, from the projection house to the ticket office to signs. New houses have been built nearby, probably making it harder to reopen, assuming someone would be foolhardy enough to try.
Pick your error, then Mike. The Drive-in was open beyond the time that it was owned by the Cohens. They were advertising in the local paper as recently as May 1992. My source for Dipson is http://movie-theatre.org/ , whether this information is accurate, I don’t know.
Funny one should mention photographing the Regent. I did that a couple of days ago. And the now parking lot that was the Capitol is in the background. One of these days I will get around to uploading the shots.
As far as why they are “silent” about the operation of the Van Buren drive-in after they ceased to have an interest in the property, well all I can suggest is that you ask them. After all, you have two folks here who were on the property after it “closed” while it was showing movies. Plus, I saw the ads in the local paper for as much as 13 years after the facility closed. Waste of money, no? All we can do is guess as to their motives. But they know their motives, so why not ask them, and post us their response.
According to another website, Dipson operated the Drive-in, Cine, and Regent through the 80’s. Dipson is completely silent about this. The best answer I can give you to the answer of who operated the drive-in after Cohen is “someone else”.
I don’t exactly see what the issue is. The drive-in did advertise through at least May 1992. I know it operated through much of the 1980’s, as I saw cars entering during my pizza delivery runs. (Including a delivery to a projectionist there.)
I don’t know why anyone would think that a website for a business has any responsibilty to make sure data about a former property is kept accurate. Does Infogrames say who is renting Borregas Ave in Sunnyvale today? Infogrames being the owner of Atari, and Borregas Ave. being the home of Atari “back in the day” when it was a major hardware and software manufacturer. Doesn’t make much sense, Lost, but seems to me what you are suggesting.
When I was in Ithaca 3 weeks ago, I saw that the parking lot that replaced the Strand is still standing. With a sign warning you not to park there without permission, lest they render you unable to bear children. Or something like that.
The Hobby Shop closed in 1995. The owner was died in the early 1990’s, and his wife tired of the business. She was unable to find a buyer, and so she just closed the business.
Also, Bill managed the Hoby Shop, but it was his father that ran the theaters. Bill the elder was deceased by the time I met his wife in 1983.
What can I say, I loved movies, computers, and plastic models. :)
Based on the advertisements in the Observer, the Regent ceased advertising in November 1992.
Between May 1990 and May 1991 the multiplex at the old Ames opened, and by May 1991 the Regent was second run, selling seats for $1.50. Playing on 5/25/1991 was Dances with Wolves.
Wasn’t this operated by Litchfield, or something similar in 1990? I was last here in 2004, and was surpised as to how poor its condition had deteriorated to.
My most prominent memory of this theatre occured on 12/31/1999, at about 9:00pm. While about halfway through “Sleepy Hollow”, the millenium bug must have his somewhere, as the power went out for about 3-5 minutes. Still haven’t seen the whole movie, as they didn’t restart it where it stopped, lost a couple of minutes. Never saw what happened to Casper Van Dien. Funny, haven’t seen him any movie since, either. :)
Even more curious about the Hoyts issue is they operated a small multiplex southwest of Buffalo for a few years in the mid 1990’s not of their design or construction.
Fredonia was named the best small town to live in WNY by some WNY business magazine a couple of months ago. And as long as gas prices keep going up, I think a reasonably done viewing environment in the D-F area could do well. In my lifetime there has not been a reasonably done venue. (I admit I haven’t been to the opera house since reconstruction, but movies are not its prime function.) The multiplex in town was horibly constructed, and changed hands 3-4 times since it opened in 1990.
Having lived out of town for years, I realize now that the grass isn’t greener. When retirement comes in about 7 years, its either back to Dunkirk, or off to Ithaca. I did my time in Cali and Vegas. Some decent theatres there, but to costly to live. Even here in WV I pay more for a house than I would in WNY, even though taxes are less. I would have to live in WV a long time for the cheaper taxes to pay off. And now that gas costs the same here and there, I’ll take there. After all, there has Niagara Falls. Here we have folks who bicker over whether WVU or Marshall is better.
I’m curious about how things go, as I may need to figure out how to finance a theatre or two. Especially in how to reclaim a DI from the weeds. :)
If it were East Kentucky, I do what I could, but TN is to far away. I spend most of my free time heading back to NY.
Why not revive VB Drive-in? With a manament that cares, I bet it would work. Not to disparage the previous operators, I don’t think they really cared about any of the venues in the area. Nor, it seems, does the current owner of the multiplex in town. I see oportunities. But you folks have 7 years to do something. :)
Comments like do NOT help “your side”. Take it outside. May I suggest myspace?
I am a bit perplexed about the Dipson thing. The Cine had a Dipson sign on it back into the 70’s, and yet Dalton and his dog were selling tickets at the same time. I recall him sitting in his beat up old wagon, waiting until he felt it was time to open the doors. Did he sell out to Dipson, then continue to work for them until he couldn’t anymore?
I only saw one movie at Cinema One. Don’t recall the bats. But I do recall that is was the worst of the three theatres in town, and as soon as I had a car, I would drive to Buffalo to see movies. Long live the long gone AMC Holiday theatres.
Sorry about the double post. Connectiity was slow, and I got a bit impatient, hit the reload button. Anyone know how to delete the duplicate?
Seems inaccuracy is a recurring theme. :) He lists the State Theater in Dunkirk, but we don’t here. (Perhaps that is a fault of mine, as I made the most Dunkirk entries, but I did want at least some information about it before i made the entry. Urban “renewal” desroyed most of Dunkirk before I really had a chance to get to know the town.)
Just out of curiousity, have the folks who know better advised him of his errors, and tried to help him put out a more accurate product, or do we just ignore the errors, whine about the innacurracies, and try to get our information elsewhere hoping that others have a better lock on fact checking? After all, this theater would have about 5 entries, were it not for all the back and forth about the error that was here.
William – Thanks for the reference. Time to see if I can find access to as manny issues as possible in my library (I live in WV, I don’t hold out much hope) to get a better picture of venues in northern Chautauqua County.
Seems inaccuracy is a recurring theme. :) He lists the State Theater in Dunkirk, but we don’t here. (Perhaps that is a fault of mine, as I made the most Dunkirk entries, but I did want at least some information about it before i made the entry. Urban “renewal” desroyed most of Dunkirk before I really had a chance to get to know the town.)
Just out of curiousity, have the folks who know better advised him of his errors, and tried to help him put out a more accurate product, or do we just ignore the errors, whine about the innacurracies, and try to get our information elsewhere hoping that others have a better lock on fact checking? After all, this theater would have about 5 entries, were it not for all the back and forth about the error that was here.
William – Thanks for the reference. Time to see if I can find access to as manny issues as possible in my library (I live in WV, I don’t hold out much hope) to get a better picture of venues in northern Chautauqua County.
You can get an excel reader from microsoft. I don’t know whether this makes unable to be gamed by virii or not.
I gave a source for Dipson operating the theatre. I can’t be responsible for lack of interest or desire in the source. That doesn’t mean that the source is invalid, however.
As I get the time I may try and talk this guy into redoing his website so that it doesn’t involve a spreadsheet, but that not exactly on the top of list of things to do. In the Regent messages someone mentioned a “yearbook” website that included a photo of the interior of the Regent. I made some suggestions to that author, and offered help. He doesn’t return my e-mail anymore, and he went to school with my brother. :) Anyhow, any changes that he would make will be because he wants to, and has the time to, not because I say anything. Since his site involves a couple of countries, and more than a couple of theaters, any changes will be huge.
Also, you can use “open office” as your spreadsheet program, and since it doesn’t use the same macro language (the issue with excel virii) then you should be clean with any excel virii. But it is up to you. (But I sure wouldn’t download open office just to read this spreadsheet. :)
Hopefully this will work out. Here is the projection booth of the Van Buren Drive-In. If you look close, you can see it beyond all the overgrowth. If you guys want larger pictures, let me know. View link
Now doubt easier for you, as I have lived out of town for 16+ years, and until 2 years ago, across the Mississippi for 7 of them. I am kind of disappointed that the buldozer got to the Cine before I could get there with my camera.
If only the Dunkirk Free Library had their printing microfilm viewer operational. Then I could have printed the ad for the drive-in dating the closure at or after May of 1992/1992. (Memory fades.)
Patsy – This means that it has been nonfunctional for only 14/15 years, although I will admit that it sure looks like it has been dead for significantly longer than that. I doubt there was much care taken of the place in 30 years, perhaps longer.
Mike – I can’t say I am happy with the way this guy has his site set up. I did contact him yester about an error, and he corrected it quickly. I guess now it is time to have him fix it a bit more so that you don’t have to download stuff. Because he is located in Quebec, I didn’t want to assume complete knowledge of english before getting in a long drawn out discussion. :)
I have some pictures of the drive-in that I took this past week. I am not quite certain I want to post them anywhere, as they make the venue look fairly sad. Everything is overgrown, from the projection house to the ticket office to signs. New houses have been built nearby, probably making it harder to reopen, assuming someone would be foolhardy enough to try.
Pick your error, then Mike. The Drive-in was open beyond the time that it was owned by the Cohens. They were advertising in the local paper as recently as May 1992. My source for Dipson is http://movie-theatre.org/ , whether this information is accurate, I don’t know.
Funny one should mention photographing the Regent. I did that a couple of days ago. And the now parking lot that was the Capitol is in the background. One of these days I will get around to uploading the shots.
As far as why they are “silent” about the operation of the Van Buren drive-in after they ceased to have an interest in the property, well all I can suggest is that you ask them. After all, you have two folks here who were on the property after it “closed” while it was showing movies. Plus, I saw the ads in the local paper for as much as 13 years after the facility closed. Waste of money, no? All we can do is guess as to their motives. But they know their motives, so why not ask them, and post us their response.
According to another website, Dipson operated the Drive-in, Cine, and Regent through the 80’s. Dipson is completely silent about this. The best answer I can give you to the answer of who operated the drive-in after Cohen is “someone else”.
I don’t exactly see what the issue is. The drive-in did advertise through at least May 1992. I know it operated through much of the 1980’s, as I saw cars entering during my pizza delivery runs. (Including a delivery to a projectionist there.)
I don’t know why anyone would think that a website for a business has any responsibilty to make sure data about a former property is kept accurate. Does Infogrames say who is renting Borregas Ave in Sunnyvale today? Infogrames being the owner of Atari, and Borregas Ave. being the home of Atari “back in the day” when it was a major hardware and software manufacturer. Doesn’t make much sense, Lost, but seems to me what you are suggesting.
When I was in Ithaca 3 weeks ago, I saw that the parking lot that replaced the Strand is still standing. With a sign warning you not to park there without permission, lest they render you unable to bear children. Or something like that.
The Hobby Shop closed in 1995. The owner was died in the early 1990’s, and his wife tired of the business. She was unable to find a buyer, and so she just closed the business.
Also, Bill managed the Hoby Shop, but it was his father that ran the theaters. Bill the elder was deceased by the time I met his wife in 1983.
What can I say, I loved movies, computers, and plastic models. :)
The Van Buren Drive In was closed sometime after May 1991, but prior to May 1992.
It was sometime between May 1988 and May 1989 that the Cine was divided into two screens.
Based on the advertisements in the Observer, the Regent ceased advertising in November 1992.
Between May 1990 and May 1991 the multiplex at the old Ames opened, and by May 1991 the Regent was second run, selling seats for $1.50. Playing on 5/25/1991 was Dances with Wolves.