Manos Quality Theatres Enterprises opened this as the Mercer Mall Cinemas 8 as an outparcel building to the Mercer Mall in Bluefield, West Virginia on November 16 1990 with a benefit screening. It replaced an interior mall cinema that reportedly had launched when the Mercer Mall opened in 1980. On November 19, 1993, Carmike Theatres bought out the 1912-founded circuit started by Michael Manos - then operated by Ted Manos. The venue became the Carmike Cinemas 8.
In 2016, AMC bought the 1968-founded circuit started by C.L. Patrick and named after sons Carl and Mike (CarMike / Carmike). AMC rebranded all of its locations as one of three designations AMC Theatres, AMC CLASSIC, and AMC Dine-In on February 28, 2017. The majority of inherited - and especially older - locations including Carmike and Kerasotes locations - were given the Classic designation that included the Carmike “C” logo distinction. The Mercer Mall 8-plex was among the vast majority of Carmike locations rebranded. It became knows as the AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on March 1, 2017.
The AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 closed on March 16, 2020 along with most other hardtop theaters in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AMC reopened its CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on September 4, 2020. In the streaming era, the circuit closed the AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on February 26, 2023 at the end of a leasing period.
Eugene Phalan’s $100,000 new-build Allis Theatre was announced in 1925 as a replacement for the existing Allis. It launched for Phalan’s Allis Amusemements Co. on September 4, 1925 with Motiograph projectors, a Barton pipe organ and Stafford seating.
The Landmark returned to operations in the Fall of 2022 apparently with little to no leasing payment obligation and just on weekends. Decisions were made during the week as to whether to reopen on the upcoming weekend making planning a visit challenging. Sunday nights were the most difficult with the Mall locked at 6p and an unmarked entry in a loading dock area being the only chance of finding your way to a Sunday evening showing.
Landmark threw in the towel and removed the cinema from its website ceasing operations on January 24, 2023. Final screenings using just four auditoriums were “Puss ‘n’ Boots,” “Avatar: Way of Water,” “M3gan,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Likely because the Orpheum had a well-publicized Barton organ at its 1922 launch, the Columbia inaugurated its pipe organ music with a Barton instrument on April 26, 1923 (ad in photos). The Columbia Theatre had closed as a silent house on May 23, 1929 with Mary Carr in “Some Mother’s Boy.”
Tracing the history of the instrument, it was sold to a private individual in 1929 “very cheap” through a classified ad. That individual, Mary Dillenback, then donated it for its next installation at the Lake Geneva Methodist Church in 1932.
Tracing the post-Columbia Theatre, it was transformed to the Hub Grill, a venue that had live bands, dancing and dining from 1930 to 1942. In 1942, it became Tony Ambrose’s Keyhole Club. In 1953, it became Ambrose Fine Foods and Bar.
Hound’s Drive-In Theatre closed for its seventh season on Nov. 26, 2022 with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Prior to its new season opener, the management announced on February 19, 2023 that the closure would be permanent.
The venue opened on June 6, 1928 with William Haynes in “Telling the World” supported by an Andy Gump cartoon and both regular organist Buddy Noll and guest organist Jack Hertell took turns at the new Barton pipe organ. The Golden Voiced Barton Organ, itself, cost $25,000 and was advertised as being as loud as a 75-piece orchestra. On May 9, 1929, the theatre installed Vitaphone to play talking pictures with Dolores Costello in “The Glad Rag Doll.”
G.F. Kelliher built the Plaza Theatre in downtown Burlington in 1927 and completing it in early 1928. Just prior to its launch, Kelliher sold it and the Grand Theatre in East Troy to Community Theatres Inc. Community launched here on February 15, 1928. Prior to its 60th Anniversary, the threatre was converted to a quad-plex relaunching with a grand reopening at 1928 prices on June 7, 1987.
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.
Closed as the Elvis Tiffany Plaza Cinemas 6 on December 4, 2022
The Temple announced its final day of operation as June 29, 2023.
Manos Quality Theatres Enterprises opened this as the Mercer Mall Cinemas 8 as an outparcel building to the Mercer Mall in Bluefield, West Virginia on November 16 1990 with a benefit screening. It replaced an interior mall cinema that reportedly had launched when the Mercer Mall opened in 1980. On November 19, 1993, Carmike Theatres bought out the 1912-founded circuit started by Michael Manos - then operated by Ted Manos. The venue became the Carmike Cinemas 8.
In 2016, AMC bought the 1968-founded circuit started by C.L. Patrick and named after sons Carl and Mike (CarMike / Carmike). AMC rebranded all of its locations as one of three designations AMC Theatres, AMC CLASSIC, and AMC Dine-In on February 28, 2017. The majority of inherited - and especially older - locations including Carmike and Kerasotes locations - were given the Classic designation that included the Carmike “C” logo distinction. The Mercer Mall 8-plex was among the vast majority of Carmike locations rebranded. It became knows as the AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on March 1, 2017.
The AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 closed on March 16, 2020 along with most other hardtop theaters in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AMC reopened its CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on September 4, 2020. In the streaming era, the circuit closed the AMC CLASSIC Bluefield 8 on February 26, 2023 at the end of a leasing period.
February 28, 2023 is the final date. A burst pipe and argument with the City of International Falls seems to have been the final straw.
Eugene Phalan’s $100,000 new-build Allis Theatre was announced in 1925 as a replacement for the existing Allis. It launched for Phalan’s Allis Amusemements Co. on September 4, 1925 with Motiograph projectors, a Barton pipe organ and Stafford seating.
The Landmark returned to operations in the Fall of 2022 apparently with little to no leasing payment obligation and just on weekends. Decisions were made during the week as to whether to reopen on the upcoming weekend making planning a visit challenging. Sunday nights were the most difficult with the Mall locked at 6p and an unmarked entry in a loading dock area being the only chance of finding your way to a Sunday evening showing.
Landmark threw in the towel and removed the cinema from its website ceasing operations on January 24, 2023. Final screenings using just four auditoriums were “Puss ‘n’ Boots,” “Avatar: Way of Water,” “M3gan,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Likely because the Orpheum had a well-publicized Barton organ at its 1922 launch, the Columbia inaugurated its pipe organ music with a Barton instrument on April 26, 1923 (ad in photos). The Columbia Theatre had closed as a silent house on May 23, 1929 with Mary Carr in “Some Mother’s Boy.”
Tracing the history of the instrument, it was sold to a private individual in 1929 “very cheap” through a classified ad. That individual, Mary Dillenback, then donated it for its next installation at the Lake Geneva Methodist Church in 1932.
Tracing the post-Columbia Theatre, it was transformed to the Hub Grill, a venue that had live bands, dancing and dining from 1930 to 1942. In 1942, it became Tony Ambrose’s Keyhole Club. In 1953, it became Ambrose Fine Foods and Bar.
Demolished in February of 2023 to be replaced by a new casino to be built on behalf of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
Hound’s Drive-In Theatre closed for its seventh season on Nov. 26, 2022 with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Prior to its new season opener, the management announced on February 19, 2023 that the closure would be permanent.
The venue opened on June 6, 1928 with William Haynes in “Telling the World” supported by an Andy Gump cartoon and both regular organist Buddy Noll and guest organist Jack Hertell took turns at the new Barton pipe organ. The Golden Voiced Barton Organ, itself, cost $25,000 and was advertised as being as loud as a 75-piece orchestra. On May 9, 1929, the theatre installed Vitaphone to play talking pictures with Dolores Costello in “The Glad Rag Doll.”
G.F. Kelliher built the Plaza Theatre in downtown Burlington in 1927 and completing it in early 1928. Just prior to its launch, Kelliher sold it and the Grand Theatre in East Troy to Community Theatres Inc. Community launched here on February 15, 1928. Prior to its 60th Anniversary, the threatre was converted to a quad-plex relaunching with a grand reopening at 1928 prices on June 7, 1987.
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.