Sam L. Taylor watched his Kozy Theatre burn down in a nitrate film explosion in the projection booth during a busy showing of “Mutiny on the Bounty” on January 23, 1936 which took out the Kozy Ice Cream Shoppe and Taylor’s home all in the same building. Fortunately nobody was killed.
Taylor had seen this before as he watched Fayard’s Pictorium, the nickelodeon he was operating in 1914, also get wiped out by fire. After the Kozy 1936 fire, he signed up local contractor Bernard L. Knost to rebuild a new venue called the Avalon Theatre. The plans were drawn by Moise H. Goldstein, Sr. of New Orleans.
Taylor was a programmer since the 1910s in P-C and knew he his duty was to fulfill the contract for “Mutiny on the Bounty” - the first film shown at the new Avalon on April 19, 1936. It was joined by the Moonlite Drive-In in 1950. Slidell Theatres Circuit took it on in the 1950s steering it to closure in 1959. George Bourgeois & Associates relit it and became the final operators in 1960.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed a great percentage of Pass Christian including the downtown containing the Avalon - which had become an antique store and a book store. A picture in photos shows just the auditorium remaining as the front and lobby were washed away in 2005. This theatre was at 109 East Scenic Drive.
Closed for a streamline moderne refresh in 1946 and came back with that new look on April 13, 1946. The last show listed is January 29, 1956 with a double feature of “The Human Jungle” and “Overland Pacific.” That times out with a ten-year leasing expiry. It became the Regal Furniture Store in 1957. Its neighbor, the Booker T Grill continued into the 1990s as part of the Farish Street Historic District well after the theatre closed.
R.W. Tyson’s Capitol Theatre opened nearby on the same block in 1933 and he decided to have double the fun when he opened the State Theatre here on June 11, 1935 with Columbia Pictures' distributed UK feature with Jessie Matthews in “Evergreen” supported by the Columbia Pictures Andy Clyde short, “Sawbones,” a Columbia “Spice of Life” comedy series short, and a Columbia “Sport Thrills series short, "Flying Pigskins.”
The State Theatre closed at the expiry of a 20-year leasing term on August 11, 1955 with Glenn Ford and William Holden in “The Man from Colorado.” Its next advertisement listed 550 seats for sale along with the Walker Screen, Simplex projectors, Western Electric sound, Carrier HVAC, and more indications of a potential forthcoming demolition. It did join the parking lot brigade.
The Jackson Square Mall Shopping Center was announced in August of 1966 as a regional mall anchored by a Zaire’s department store - its first in the State of Mississippi. The plaza looks to have been downsized between initial drawing and groundbreaking that took place on May Day 1968 at I-20 and I-55. A suburban luxury cinema was added to the drawings that would open a year after the center and operated by Atco of Atlanta.
Zayre department store unofficially launched the center on November 14, 1968. The grand opening was held for the entire center on February 26, 1969. Atco prepped its Ultra-Vision theater, the first such in the state of Mississippi. Its 70' wide screen matched the Deville Cinema’s as the suburban theaters would pressure the two remaining downtown houses for best clearances and the remaining patrons. The Jackson Square Theatre opening was on April 24, 1970 with “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
Atco left the building with ABC Interstate taking over May 1, 1974. In June of 1978, Plitt Southern acquired the ABC Interstate portfolio. Effective November 3, 1978, the Jackson Square Theatre became a Plitt Southern location. Plitt dishonorably discharged the Jackson Square here on Labor Day, September 6, 1982 with “An Officer and a Gentleman.” They made the right call. Zayre left the plaza on December 31, 1987 leading a a swift descent into greyfield status for the shopping center.
A church took over the theatre under the Jesusislordchurch namesake to reduce taxing liabilities and then the City of Jackson followed suit trying to prop up the remainder of the former Jackson Square Mall Plaza which changed its name to The City Plaza - and looking ramshackle in the 2020s.
The Marvel Theatorium, believed to be downtown Jackson’s third nickelodeon, opened June 14, 1907. On December 14, 1908, it became the Hippodrome. It closed in 1909.
he Century opened a little late on October 10, 1901 with the play, “The Little Minister.” The theatre was a multi-purpose building that replaced the Robinson Opera House on Pearl Street while providing needed office space above. The double balcony venue provided a first balcony for smokers and a second for African American patrons.
Its first traveling movie show appears to have taken place in 1904 and would be a harbinger of things to come. In 1915, the venue switched to full time films under the New Century nameplate before reverting to Century.
Saenger Amusement took on the programming with elevated vaudeville. But Kensington-Saenger went bold a a major refresh shown at its reopening on November 12 and 14, 1927. Films would return to the venue under the New Century Theatre name. Its new Robert Morton pipe organ was played by Tom Bautovich on November 14, 1927 with John Barrymore and Dolores Costello in “When a Man Loves.” The organ replaced the upper balcony. The one thing they didn’t consider in the refresh was sound films.
That was rectified when the first talkie was played on February 18, 1929 with “The Shopworn Angel.” It again was called the New Century Theatre. It closed but the opening of a competing theatre, the Capitol Theatre prompted a competitive move. A major refresh led to another grand opening on August 14, 1933 and again as the New Century Theatre.
The Century ended a bit over halfway through on July 1, 1950 with “Renegade of the Sage,” “Killer Shark!” and an episode of the serial, “Wild Bill Hickock.” A. Lloyd Royal of Royal Theatres and Productions took on the house. The venue was given a major makeover becoming the confusingly-named Royal Music Hall relaunching December 23, 1950 with “I’ll Get By.” New Century would have been more acceptable to all - even though it had been played a few times already.
The venue’s final refresh was in January 1954 with an upgrade to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope films. Toward the end of its run, you could see an exploitation film, a live burlesque show, a Halloween spook show, or even an art film as it scuffled to closure. It outlasted other 1950s casualties, the New Joy, State, Royal, Pix, and Majestic. Its closure on June 23, 1959 with Brigitte Bardot in “The Light Across the Street” was played with no announcement of its departure.
Its final ad was just ahead offering all fixtures for sale in a demolition of the Century Theatre (take that Royal Music Hall fans). The building was gone by 1961.
R.W. Tyson’s Capitol Theatre opened here (215 West Capitol not Capital) as a deep discount house on October 16, 1933 in an existing retail building. The first film was “The Big Brain” with a capacity crowd. The moribund Century was relit to make life difficult for Tyson but it encouraged Tyson to open the State Theatre in a neighboring spot. In 1936, the Capitol was taken over by Verne Buck’s Hattiesburg Amusement for another location of its regional chain of Buck Theaters. In February of 1939, it was taken over by Paramount Circuit which ran it for most of its WW2 years.
Discount operator Joy Houck’s Joy Theatres took on the Buck Theatre as the Gay Theatre on April 2, 1945 with “Dr. Gilllespie’s Criminal Case" with ultra low pricing. It was given a face lift with better air conditioning and larger screen at its relaunch later that year as the New Joy on November 24th, 1945.
The New Joy went to no joy after the June 6, 1954 triple feature of “Monkey Business,” “Montana Territory,” and Boris Karloff’s “The Mummy.” The building was converted for other retail uses and the building was still standing in the 21st Century.
Just to fill in some of the comments above, this entry should be the UA Ellis Isle Cinema 4. It was part of the Ellis Isle Shopping Center, a discount strip plaza for southwestsiders in Jackson. The center was announced in 1972 anchored by a Woolco and a Warehouse Grocery Center, purportedly the second largest grocery store in the U.S.A. with the Ogden-Perry twin cinema an original feature. It would get a less than ideal position behind the Center and almost unseeable from the highway that it was parallel to. But that wouldn’t matter as the theatre would ride “Jaws” in 1975 to become the highest attended film in Jackson history (to that point). The architect was Harold Brumfield, Sr. of Brumfield & Associates.
Ground was broken for the plaza in October 11, 1972. The theatre was an original tenant and built during the luxury suburban era of cinema exhibition as the Ellis Isle Twin Cinema. It had twin, 500-seat auditoriums at launch March 29, 1974. The $300,000 venue was under pressure by multiple chains with more screens in the early multiplex era so Ogden-Perry split the twins and had four, 225-seat auditoriums for a total count at 900 seats. That was celebrated on March 14, 1980 as the Ellis Isle Cinema Four. Woolco left the center in bankruptcy in January of 1983. Ogden-Perry would follow suit leaving the theatre following the September 5, 1985 showtimes and their own filing for bankruptcy four days later. The venue reopened at month’s end by an independent, local operator that lasted just three weeks until closure on October 17, 1985.
Gulf States relit the theatre as a first-run house on June 6, 1986 as the Ellis Isle Cinema 4. Gulf was a quick study and just three months later demoted the venue to a $1 sub-run discount house on September 19, 1986. That returned patrons to the theatre. Three months later, UA bought out Gulf States. The venue became the UA Ellis Isle 4 on June 26, 1987 repositioned with first-run titles. On September 11, 1987, it reverted to a sub-run dollar house. In the 1990s, the megaplex era had arrived and UA now had two 10-screen houses in the Parkway Place 10 and the Northpark 10… and the Ellis Isle 4 which it was trying to milk to the end of its lease. That date came on a Sunday night, June 27, 1993, with the UA Ellis Isle Cinema 4 closing permanently with “Sidekicks,” “CB4,” “Cop and a Half,” “Excessive Force” and “Boiling Point.”
The Ellis Isle Shopping Center and its immediate surroundings fell into a deep greyfield status with high vacancy rates and crime rates to match - including cocaine sales in the parking lot. Not good optics as the surrounding businesses also left the area. The Center made it to its 30th birthday but there was little to celebrate. In 2005, New Horizon Church took on the shopping plaza for $2 million taking the former Warehouse turned Sack and Save grocery location for its house of worship. The facility was renamed as The Renaissance (Center) - but the weather gods clearly disagreed and blew that overlay sign away in 2014 revealing the legacy Ellis Isle name. And because conditions didn’t improve, the gods spoke once more and the Ellis Isle signage atop the 70' sign then blew away in the 2020s along with a chunk of the former Woolco anchor store leaving it as the benign (INO) “r"enaissance until New Horizon left in 2024.
The theatre is listed at 1770 Bobby Rush Boulevard when Ellis Avenue’s name was changed in 2022. The former Renaissance / Ellis Isle / derelict plaza could be purchased for $5.25 million - an opportunity for anyone wishing to operate the cinema and a former Woolco.
Houston D. Bowers was a movie pioneer in Jackson. He would operate four different Jackson Theatres using Majestic. Majestic Theatre “#1” / Majestic Theatre No. 1 at 113 West Capitol Street; Gem Theatre / Majestic Theatre No. 2 at 139 East Capitol; the New Majestic Theatre / Majestic Theatre “#2” at 126 E. Capitol; and the long-running New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3” here at 124 E. Capitol. His tagline was “Houston Bowers: The Man who Put Move in Movies” (see photos).
Houston and his brother Joe bought a retail operation called Lightning Cash Store and transformed it to Bowers Bros. in 1899. Houston then operated his first nickelodeon, the short-lived Theatorium at on February 7, 1907 with “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire,” “Moonlight Dreams,” and “Fighting the Flames” at 120 West Capitol. It competed apparently unsuccessfully with the Jackson Theatorium which opened on March 16, 1907 at 117 North State by by W.P Flinn, its near neighbor, the Marvel Theatorium - the Theatorium’s neighbor at 113 North State Street opening June 14, 1907 and the longer-running Dixie Theatorium / Dixie Theatre at 216 S. State by Jack Hall.
Majestic Theatre #1 / Majestic No. 1 and Majestic No. 2 (aka Gem): The brothers store was bought out by R.E. Kennington who hired the Bowers Brothers at his store. Houston Bowers decided to get back into movie theatre operation opening the Majestic Theatre “#1” at 113 West Capitol Street on March 6, 1911. His movie house had first-run films and a $3,500 pipe organ - something that was uncommon in that era of nickelodeons in Jackson. Mrs. Katherine Woodford operated the competing Gem Theatre that had opened in 1910 and she was the first female film operator in town. Bowers leased that theatre at 139 East Capitol renaming it Majestic Theatre No. 2 with the original being renamed as Majestic Theatre No. 1.
New Majestic Theatre / Majestic Theatre “#2”: Bowers opened a much more significant movie theatre in the first era of movie palaces with the New Majestic at 126 East Capitol on September 14, 1913. Majestic No. 2 was sold and returned to its original Gem Theatre namesake operating to 1917. Majestic #1 on West Capitol operated just a little longer during the State Fair of 1913 before closing.
New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3”. The final Majestic had a 35 year run is is most remembered for its sound era operation. Majestic Theatre “#2” turned out to be undersized as movies became more profitable and better attended than live stage plays and, in many cases, live vaudeville. Bowers would sell the venue to F.W. Woolworth’s dime store which would run more than 60 years in that location. Bowers had purchased the neighboring building at 124 E. Capitol and had it razed for a new-build, very large capacity (1,800 people) New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3” was ready on October 22, 1915 for a soft opening with Geraldine Farrar in “Carmen.” He incorporated his entertainment company based on the theater’s opening and with designs on becoming a chain operator.
The theatre had a main floor of around 1,000 patrons with a second balcony for smokers and a third balcony for African American patrons - about 400 cap each said to be very tight. Unfortunately, just prior to the theatre’s launch, Bowers' wife, Octavine Bowers died at around age 40. Two months after the soft launch the grand opening event was just five days away from its grand opening with a major film star en route. Then Houston Bowers, dropped dead at age 44 on December 28, 1915.
His brother found a successor in his boss: dry goods store owner R.E. Kennington in April of 1916. Kennington drew up plans to modernize the theatre (as seen in photos) and - as Kennington’s Majestic Theatre (Majestic Theatre #3” ver. 2.0 - would promptly be gutted by fire in January of 1917. It would reopen on April 17, 1917 with a new look.
Saenger Amusement of New Orleans took on the Century Theatre with live programming in 1917. They made a bold move pairing up with Kennington to make the Majestic Theatre a real movie palace in 1926. Kennington-Saenger’s New Majestic Theatre #3 ver. 3.0 opened June 14, 1926. This was theatre which people remembered because it was downsized to 980 seats and given a $25,000 Morton Organ which was largely built in place of the third balcony other than the console.
The final significant transition was Majestic #3 ver. 3.5 - the addition of Vitaphone sound on September 13, 1928 with “Glorious Betsy.” In the 1930s, it was equipped with sound-on-film replacing discs. In June of 1929, Publix acquired the Majestic, Century and Istrione theaters. But streamline palaces such as the Saenger’s Paramount and the upgrading of the Century Theatre put the Majestic into a third-tier spot. When post-War suburban movie houses, drive-ins, and television put a crimp in business, the Majestic’s days were numbered. Under final operator Paramount-Gulf Theatres, the Majestic closed July 14, 1951 with Rod Cameron in “Oh, Susanna” supported by a cartoon and a newsreel.
Woolworth’s - which had bought the earlier Majestic Theatre #2 - now purchased Majestic Theatre #3 to expand to a larger store that operated all the way to April of 1977. In their tearing out of the old theatre, give Woolworth’s a ton of credit for properly de-installing the moribund Robert Morton organ console from the pit and its mechanics from the third balcony at their expense and properly documenting its donation. Woolworth’s was operating on a 40-year lease. But in 1976, the City of Jackson announced a plan to buy and raze 17 properties for a downtown revitalization project which took out the former Majestic #2, #3 and still operating Woolworth. Woolworth’s closed in April of 1977 and the building was razed thereafter.
The Silver Slipper was purchased by new operators in August of 1941 and they gave the ozoner a new look with new technology at its relaunch on October 17, 1941 as Drive-In Theatre - likely on a 20-year lease.
Half-way through the venue was rebranded as the Hi-Way 80 Drive-In Theatre on January 23, 1951 with “West Point Story.” On February 22, 1954, it was advertised as the 80 Drive-In likely with a new widescreen tower. And closed at the end of its 20-year leasing agreement in 1961.
An article said that the property had been designated for the Interstate project that would become I-20; and although very close by, the I-20 project didn’t use the exact location of the 80 D-I.
Cinema West 1 & 2 got to the finish line as a twin-screen venue before anyone else in Jackson. The $200,000 venue eschewed high visibility and major traffic to operate to its neighborhood base. It was initially programmed with a family-friendly film on Screen 1 at 99 cents admission and a more mature audience themed film on Screen 2 at a $1.50 price point. That mission lasted about two months when the kids films weren’t cutting it. Windsor Showcase Theatres operated the venue in its formative years. It closed on November 16, 1991 with “Boyz in the Hood.”
Joe Mitchell relit the venue on March 20, 1992 with “Juice” and “Freejack” as it programmed second-run, discount films with African American audiences in mind. It was one of the few African American owned and operated venues in the United States in the early 1990s / megaplex era. Mitchell paid close attention to security as that was a concern of patrons, undoubtedly.
Cinema West 2 appears to have closed December 19, 1993 with “Menace II Society” and “Hard Target.” Investment in Jackson seemed to be heading to North Jackson, Clinton, and other suburbs. Based on its mentions in the local police blotter, the end of Cinema West showed it in a moderate to above average crime zone which likely didn’t help attendance. In August of 1994, it had become a house of worship for 30 plus years.
BTW: It wasn’t called the Cotton Bowl Cinema but did operate across from the Cotton Bowl bowling lanes.
In the grand scheme of things, accuracy on these entries isn’t that important. But to start out with “The Meadowbrook Cinemas were built on the site of the 51 Drive-In which also included the Northside Shopping Center.” I’m not sure what that means but it is probably clearer than what happened.
So what actually transpired is that Jackson’s Northsiders received a lot of post-War retail shopping options. Further, developers used land buys to put up drive-ins as place holders in case the land value increased. That’s what happened here as the 51 Drive-In occupied this spot for 15 years opting out at the half-way point of a 30-year lease due to the land value increases. There may have been “The Northside Shopping Center” in Jackson but the 51 Drive-In was on the western side of the Northwood Shopping Center anchored by an Anthony’s Department Store. To the South of the Drive-In, the Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center was created and opened across the street on March 14, 1954 anchored by a Black & White Store, a Kroger and a Ben Franklin.
The 51 Drive-In was purchased in 1964 and demolished in August of 1964 for Miller’s Mart Shopping Center to be anchored by a Miller’s Discount Store and a Sunflower grocery store #41. The center’s name didn’t hold long and renamed the Meadowbrook Shopping Center - which had to confuse folks with the Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center right across the street.
Miller Discount Stores' parent, Daylin Inc., announced a bankruptcy reorganization shutters all the Millers. In 1976, after Millers' fixture sale, a spot opened up for the Meadowbrook Theatre. And that’s how it ended up in the Meadowbook Shopping Center. Gulf State Theatres contracted with architect William J. Hughes, Jr. of Baton Rouge to use half of the Miller’s Discount Store anchor for the tight six screen venue. It had 1,372 seats. The large Audi #1 had 392 seats. Audi #2, #3, and #4 had 210 each. Audi #5 and #6 had 196 and 154, respectively.
On December 22, 1976, Gulf States Theatres opened the Meadwbrook 6 Cinemas playing six films as a fund raiser for Toys for Tots. In 1986, United Artists bought Gulf States Theatres and on June 26, 1987, this became the UA Meadowbrook 6. The Center ran into chop when Sunflower #41 ankled the store at its lease expiry in late summer of 1991. UA left the building on January 16, 1992 citing end of lease and increased crime rates in the area. The re-emerged Gulf State Theatres of New Orleans took the venue back on as a sub-run discount house on April 10, 1992 with six films and a tagline of, “Security provided by the Jackson Police Department.” Future ads listed showtimes with “Police Security!” as a tagline. Gulf States' sequel operation ended on August 23, 1993.
On September 3, 1993, Cobb Theatres picked up the six-plex continuing the dollar fifty run. Cobb ran here until June 6, 1996 closing with films including the rationale given for its closure, “Executive Decision.” The spot may have been subsumed by the Piggly Wiggly. And as a post-script, the Meadowbrook and Northwood shopping centers continued. But in 2022, the greyfield status Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center across the street was razed to end any confusion between the two closely-named shopping centers.
James W. Wilson, Jr. and Sears' mall division, Homart, announced this incredibly large $100 million super-regional project on March 24, 1975. In 1977, General Cinema Corp. (GCC) incorporated for business in Mississippi and built a $475,000 outparcel four-plex adjacent to the Metrocenter Mall in what was called Metro Center Convenience Center. The Metrocenter Mall hit its March 1, 1978 targeted grand opening. The Metro Center Convenience Center - an outer ring of peripheral stores - was also on target with staggered openings including the Genera Cinema in December of 1978 and the Service Merchandise on March 15, 1979.
The GCC quad held its open house for the Metro Center I•II•III•IV on December 14, 1978 to hit “Superman’s” and “Oliver’s Story” national December 15, 1978 launches. Summer hits “Grease” and “Foul Play” filled the other spots ahead of Christmas releases. It had four identical 317 seat auditoriums for a total capacity of 1,268 seats. The theatre competed with a twin theater at Ellis Isle Shopping Center less than three miles away; it would become a four-plex to remain viable in 1980.
On November 21, 1991, Cobb Theatres of Birmingham took on eight Florida GCC locations and the Metrocenter. It became the Cobb Metro Center 4 and General Cinema’s initial foray into Mississippi had ended. With megaplexes considered “all that” in the early 1990s judging by new 10- to 14-plex venues, aging quads like the Metro Center and nearby Ellis Isle were doomed. In 1993, UA voted its quad off of the Ellis Isle Shopping Center. Meanwhile, Regal Entertainment Group acquired Cobb Theatres in June of 1997. Regal’s nameplate began in September of 1997 with the Cobb Metro Center 4 remaining its name through October 15, 1998. Its days were numbered.
The Metrocenter was built on a heavy reliance of 20-year leasing agreements to reach 100 percent occupancy. The Mall’s initial decline began at that point in 1998 and began with Dillard’s closing one of the anchors due to an overlapping acquisition. The outdated Metro Center Convenience Center began a facelift by new mall owner Coyote Management in Spring of 1998. But Regal said not to bother with their property announcing its closure on September 16, 1998 with “Chill Factor,” “Stigmata,” “In Too Deep,” and “Wood.” Service Merchandise shuttered in 2002. The cinema was demolished in 2004.
Metrocenter went into a near death spiral becoming a greyscale property. The City of Jackson acquired unused anchors for city services attracting non mall shoppers. This gave the mall a gangly and wildly different experience - often unpleasant - as it moved toward an inexorable and largely welcomed closure. A redevelopment plan for the mall was okayed by the City of Jackson in 2026.
The Valley Theatre launched on June 10, 1948 with Randolph Scott in “Gunfighters” and a capacity of 500 seats - 100 in the balcony and 400 on the main floor. Appears to have folded up likely at the end of a 15-year opt out on January 6, 1963 with “Notorious Landlady.” The theatre was used for live events and as a house of worship before being converted to retail.
The AMC CLASSIC Wilson 10 venue marked the last transition for the Parkwood Mall turned Wilson Mall which had opened as the outdoor strip, Parkwood Shopping Center in 1964. The center added a single-screen suburban luxury cinema in 1968 that became a triple, the Parkwood Theatre turned Parkwood Triple.
The center was enclosed as an indoor mall to refresh at the halfway point of the 30-year leasing mark in 1979. At the end of the 30-year mark, it was reimagined for its final run. Renamed by new owners as the Wilson Mall, a major part of the facility was a new venue, the Carmike 10 opening June 9, 2006 with “Cars” on three screens and “The Omen (2006)” on two. The Wilson Mall sprinted to greyfield status - a term akin to a “dead mall” - as many U.S. malls did in the period. The Wilson Mall officially made it to the end of the Christmas 2012 season before being shuttered in January. The Carmike continued operations.
In 2016, AMC Theatres bought Carmike Cinemas. In March of 2017, it decided to call a wide swathe of acquired cinemas as “AMC Classic” - a category of cinemas it inherited that it categorized as ones that fewer updates would occur in and more likely to run to end of lease. And that’s exactly what happened here as the venue became the AMC Classic Wilson 10.
The Wilson 10 closed March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic along with the majority of movie theaters around the globe. Seven months later it re-emerged on October 20, 2020 for its final lease stretch run. In February of 2026, the derelict Wilson Mall property near it was finally demolished. Despite the circumstances, the AMC Wilson 10 Classic was a survivor and celebrated the venue’s 20th birthday… and then its final night the next day, June 10, 2026, able to bail at the 20-year leasing point.
The Bruce Theatre opene June 1, 1944 with “Lost Angel” followed by a June 3, 1944 formal opening with “See Here, Private Hargrove.” It was housed in the Jack LaCour Building - a multi business building with LaCour’s Menswear - as a retail conversion. It closed July 31, 1957 with Robert Ryan in “Men at War.” It was converted back to retail as Betty Lee Shoes. The entire building was demolished in the 1980s and is now a small pedestrian park.
This long-running, name-changing movie house of 43 years opened as the new-build Encell Theatre / Encell’s Theater near the corner of Moneta Avenue and Manchester Avenue on October 19, 1921 with Lyman H. Howe’s “The Ride on a Runaway Train” and other short subjects. (The properties had been offered for sale as lots in 1920.) Beginning on January 1, 1926, Moneta Avenue was renamed as Broadway. So they felt the need to change the name of the theatre later that year - or, more likely - under new operators became the Mecca Theatre.
The Mecca transitioned to live events programming at the start of the 1930s likely unable to covert to sound. But in 1931, they installed both Photophone sound and air conditioning of some sort to become viable. It appears to have closed briefly during WW2.
On August 18, 1944, it was reopened as the Pix Theatre on a 20-year leasing agreement with the Snuffy Smith / Barney Google B-series film, “Hillbilly Blitzkrieg” - the second and final film in the series. On March 28, 1948, the Pix closed for remodeling.
Under new operators, it was relit as the AAA Theatre (sometimes Triple AAA in marketing which one could assume as aka the AAAAAAAAA Theater). The Gala Reopening Week began on November 3, 1948 with Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett in “Hollow Triumph” and Virginia Gilmore and Alan Baxter in “Close-up.”
About three operators later it is listed as the Triple AAA Theatre and it switches to Spanish language films on October 19, 1962 with Cantinflas in “un día con el Diablo” and Silvia Pinal in “una Golfa.” It was also the 41st birthday of the veteran neighborhood cinema: feliz cumpleaños. El teatro trío AAA dijo “no más” al finalizar su contrato de arrendamiento on 16 de agosto de 1964.
The Broadway theater was offered for sale or lease in 1964 becoming various houses of worship thereafter. In the 2020s, it was Ministerios Ebenezer Campamento Celestial: Los Angeles.
Sam L. Taylor watched his Kozy Theatre burn down in a nitrate film explosion in the projection booth during a busy showing of “Mutiny on the Bounty” on January 23, 1936 which took out the Kozy Ice Cream Shoppe and Taylor’s home all in the same building. Fortunately nobody was killed.
Taylor had seen this before as he watched Fayard’s Pictorium, the nickelodeon he was operating in 1914, also get wiped out by fire. After the Kozy 1936 fire, he signed up local contractor Bernard L. Knost to rebuild a new venue called the Avalon Theatre. The plans were drawn by Moise H. Goldstein, Sr. of New Orleans.
Taylor was a programmer since the 1910s in P-C and knew he his duty was to fulfill the contract for “Mutiny on the Bounty” - the first film shown at the new Avalon on April 19, 1936. It was joined by the Moonlite Drive-In in 1950. Slidell Theatres Circuit took it on in the 1950s steering it to closure in 1959. George Bourgeois & Associates relit it and became the final operators in 1960.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed a great percentage of Pass Christian including the downtown containing the Avalon - which had become an antique store and a book store. A picture in photos shows just the auditorium remaining as the front and lobby were washed away in 2005. This theatre was at 109 East Scenic Drive.
Closed for a streamline moderne refresh in 1946 and came back with that new look on April 13, 1946. The last show listed is January 29, 1956 with a double feature of “The Human Jungle” and “Overland Pacific.” That times out with a ten-year leasing expiry. It became the Regal Furniture Store in 1957. Its neighbor, the Booker T Grill continued into the 1990s as part of the Farish Street Historic District well after the theatre closed.
R.W. Tyson’s Capitol Theatre opened nearby on the same block in 1933 and he decided to have double the fun when he opened the State Theatre here on June 11, 1935 with Columbia Pictures' distributed UK feature with Jessie Matthews in “Evergreen” supported by the Columbia Pictures Andy Clyde short, “Sawbones,” a Columbia “Spice of Life” comedy series short, and a Columbia “Sport Thrills series short, "Flying Pigskins.”
The State Theatre closed at the expiry of a 20-year leasing term on August 11, 1955 with Glenn Ford and William Holden in “The Man from Colorado.” Its next advertisement listed 550 seats for sale along with the Walker Screen, Simplex projectors, Western Electric sound, Carrier HVAC, and more indications of a potential forthcoming demolition. It did join the parking lot brigade.
The Jackson Square Mall Shopping Center was announced in August of 1966 as a regional mall anchored by a Zaire’s department store - its first in the State of Mississippi. The plaza looks to have been downsized between initial drawing and groundbreaking that took place on May Day 1968 at I-20 and I-55. A suburban luxury cinema was added to the drawings that would open a year after the center and operated by Atco of Atlanta.
Zayre department store unofficially launched the center on November 14, 1968. The grand opening was held for the entire center on February 26, 1969. Atco prepped its Ultra-Vision theater, the first such in the state of Mississippi. Its 70' wide screen matched the Deville Cinema’s as the suburban theaters would pressure the two remaining downtown houses for best clearances and the remaining patrons. The Jackson Square Theatre opening was on April 24, 1970 with “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
Atco left the building with ABC Interstate taking over May 1, 1974. In June of 1978, Plitt Southern acquired the ABC Interstate portfolio. Effective November 3, 1978, the Jackson Square Theatre became a Plitt Southern location. Plitt dishonorably discharged the Jackson Square here on Labor Day, September 6, 1982 with “An Officer and a Gentleman.” They made the right call. Zayre left the plaza on December 31, 1987 leading a a swift descent into greyfield status for the shopping center.
A church took over the theatre under the Jesusislordchurch namesake to reduce taxing liabilities and then the City of Jackson followed suit trying to prop up the remainder of the former Jackson Square Mall Plaza which changed its name to The City Plaza - and looking ramshackle in the 2020s.
The Marvel Theatorium, believed to be downtown Jackson’s third nickelodeon, opened June 14, 1907. On December 14, 1908, it became the Hippodrome. It closed in 1909.
The Marvel Theatorium opened June 14, 1907. On December 14, 1908, it became the Hippodrome under new operators. It closed in 1909.
he Century opened a little late on October 10, 1901 with the play, “The Little Minister.” The theatre was a multi-purpose building that replaced the Robinson Opera House on Pearl Street while providing needed office space above. The double balcony venue provided a first balcony for smokers and a second for African American patrons.
Its first traveling movie show appears to have taken place in 1904 and would be a harbinger of things to come. In 1915, the venue switched to full time films under the New Century nameplate before reverting to Century.
Saenger Amusement took on the programming with elevated vaudeville. But Kensington-Saenger went bold a a major refresh shown at its reopening on November 12 and 14, 1927. Films would return to the venue under the New Century Theatre name. Its new Robert Morton pipe organ was played by Tom Bautovich on November 14, 1927 with John Barrymore and Dolores Costello in “When a Man Loves.” The organ replaced the upper balcony. The one thing they didn’t consider in the refresh was sound films.
That was rectified when the first talkie was played on February 18, 1929 with “The Shopworn Angel.” It again was called the New Century Theatre. It closed but the opening of a competing theatre, the Capitol Theatre prompted a competitive move. A major refresh led to another grand opening on August 14, 1933 and again as the New Century Theatre.
The Century ended a bit over halfway through on July 1, 1950 with “Renegade of the Sage,” “Killer Shark!” and an episode of the serial, “Wild Bill Hickock.” A. Lloyd Royal of Royal Theatres and Productions took on the house. The venue was given a major makeover becoming the confusingly-named Royal Music Hall relaunching December 23, 1950 with “I’ll Get By.” New Century would have been more acceptable to all - even though it had been played a few times already.
The venue’s final refresh was in January 1954 with an upgrade to widescreen projection to present CinemaScope films. Toward the end of its run, you could see an exploitation film, a live burlesque show, a Halloween spook show, or even an art film as it scuffled to closure. It outlasted other 1950s casualties, the New Joy, State, Royal, Pix, and Majestic. Its closure on June 23, 1959 with Brigitte Bardot in “The Light Across the Street” was played with no announcement of its departure.
Its final ad was just ahead offering all fixtures for sale in a demolition of the Century Theatre (take that Royal Music Hall fans). The building was gone by 1961.
R.W. Tyson’s Capitol Theatre opened here (215 West Capitol not Capital) as a deep discount house on October 16, 1933 in an existing retail building. The first film was “The Big Brain” with a capacity crowd. The moribund Century was relit to make life difficult for Tyson but it encouraged Tyson to open the State Theatre in a neighboring spot. In 1936, the Capitol was taken over by Verne Buck’s Hattiesburg Amusement for another location of its regional chain of Buck Theaters. In February of 1939, it was taken over by Paramount Circuit which ran it for most of its WW2 years.
Discount operator Joy Houck’s Joy Theatres took on the Buck Theatre as the Gay Theatre on April 2, 1945 with “Dr. Gilllespie’s Criminal Case" with ultra low pricing. It was given a face lift with better air conditioning and larger screen at its relaunch later that year as the New Joy on November 24th, 1945.
The New Joy went to no joy after the June 6, 1954 triple feature of “Monkey Business,” “Montana Territory,” and Boris Karloff’s “The Mummy.” The building was converted for other retail uses and the building was still standing in the 21st Century.
Appears to have closed for films on October 10, 1975 with “Jaws.” Its lease was purchased.
Just to fill in some of the comments above, this entry should be the UA Ellis Isle Cinema 4. It was part of the Ellis Isle Shopping Center, a discount strip plaza for southwestsiders in Jackson. The center was announced in 1972 anchored by a Woolco and a Warehouse Grocery Center, purportedly the second largest grocery store in the U.S.A. with the Ogden-Perry twin cinema an original feature. It would get a less than ideal position behind the Center and almost unseeable from the highway that it was parallel to. But that wouldn’t matter as the theatre would ride “Jaws” in 1975 to become the highest attended film in Jackson history (to that point). The architect was Harold Brumfield, Sr. of Brumfield & Associates.
Ground was broken for the plaza in October 11, 1972. The theatre was an original tenant and built during the luxury suburban era of cinema exhibition as the Ellis Isle Twin Cinema. It had twin, 500-seat auditoriums at launch March 29, 1974. The $300,000 venue was under pressure by multiple chains with more screens in the early multiplex era so Ogden-Perry split the twins and had four, 225-seat auditoriums for a total count at 900 seats. That was celebrated on March 14, 1980 as the Ellis Isle Cinema Four. Woolco left the center in bankruptcy in January of 1983. Ogden-Perry would follow suit leaving the theatre following the September 5, 1985 showtimes and their own filing for bankruptcy four days later. The venue reopened at month’s end by an independent, local operator that lasted just three weeks until closure on October 17, 1985.
Gulf States relit the theatre as a first-run house on June 6, 1986 as the Ellis Isle Cinema 4. Gulf was a quick study and just three months later demoted the venue to a $1 sub-run discount house on September 19, 1986. That returned patrons to the theatre. Three months later, UA bought out Gulf States. The venue became the UA Ellis Isle 4 on June 26, 1987 repositioned with first-run titles. On September 11, 1987, it reverted to a sub-run dollar house. In the 1990s, the megaplex era had arrived and UA now had two 10-screen houses in the Parkway Place 10 and the Northpark 10… and the Ellis Isle 4 which it was trying to milk to the end of its lease. That date came on a Sunday night, June 27, 1993, with the UA Ellis Isle Cinema 4 closing permanently with “Sidekicks,” “CB4,” “Cop and a Half,” “Excessive Force” and “Boiling Point.”
The Ellis Isle Shopping Center and its immediate surroundings fell into a deep greyfield status with high vacancy rates and crime rates to match - including cocaine sales in the parking lot. Not good optics as the surrounding businesses also left the area. The Center made it to its 30th birthday but there was little to celebrate. In 2005, New Horizon Church took on the shopping plaza for $2 million taking the former Warehouse turned Sack and Save grocery location for its house of worship. The facility was renamed as The Renaissance (Center) - but the weather gods clearly disagreed and blew that overlay sign away in 2014 revealing the legacy Ellis Isle name. And because conditions didn’t improve, the gods spoke once more and the Ellis Isle signage atop the 70' sign then blew away in the 2020s along with a chunk of the former Woolco anchor store leaving it as the benign (INO) “r"enaissance until New Horizon left in 2024.
The theatre is listed at 1770 Bobby Rush Boulevard when Ellis Avenue’s name was changed in 2022. The former Renaissance / Ellis Isle / derelict plaza could be purchased for $5.25 million - an opportunity for anyone wishing to operate the cinema and a former Woolco.
Houston D. Bowers was a movie pioneer in Jackson. He would operate four different Jackson Theatres using Majestic. Majestic Theatre “#1” / Majestic Theatre No. 1 at 113 West Capitol Street; Gem Theatre / Majestic Theatre No. 2 at 139 East Capitol; the New Majestic Theatre / Majestic Theatre “#2” at 126 E. Capitol; and the long-running New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3” here at 124 E. Capitol. His tagline was “Houston Bowers: The Man who Put Move in Movies” (see photos).
Houston and his brother Joe bought a retail operation called Lightning Cash Store and transformed it to Bowers Bros. in 1899. Houston then operated his first nickelodeon, the short-lived Theatorium at on February 7, 1907 with “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire,” “Moonlight Dreams,” and “Fighting the Flames” at 120 West Capitol. It competed apparently unsuccessfully with the Jackson Theatorium which opened on March 16, 1907 at 117 North State by by W.P Flinn, its near neighbor, the Marvel Theatorium - the Theatorium’s neighbor at 113 North State Street opening June 14, 1907 and the longer-running Dixie Theatorium / Dixie Theatre at 216 S. State by Jack Hall.
Majestic Theatre #1 / Majestic No. 1 and Majestic No. 2 (aka Gem): The brothers store was bought out by R.E. Kennington who hired the Bowers Brothers at his store. Houston Bowers decided to get back into movie theatre operation opening the Majestic Theatre “#1” at 113 West Capitol Street on March 6, 1911. His movie house had first-run films and a $3,500 pipe organ - something that was uncommon in that era of nickelodeons in Jackson. Mrs. Katherine Woodford operated the competing Gem Theatre that had opened in 1910 and she was the first female film operator in town. Bowers leased that theatre at 139 East Capitol renaming it Majestic Theatre No. 2 with the original being renamed as Majestic Theatre No. 1.
New Majestic Theatre / Majestic Theatre “#2”: Bowers opened a much more significant movie theatre in the first era of movie palaces with the New Majestic at 126 East Capitol on September 14, 1913. Majestic No. 2 was sold and returned to its original Gem Theatre namesake operating to 1917. Majestic #1 on West Capitol operated just a little longer during the State Fair of 1913 before closing.
New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3”. The final Majestic had a 35 year run is is most remembered for its sound era operation. Majestic Theatre “#2” turned out to be undersized as movies became more profitable and better attended than live stage plays and, in many cases, live vaudeville. Bowers would sell the venue to F.W. Woolworth’s dime store which would run more than 60 years in that location. Bowers had purchased the neighboring building at 124 E. Capitol and had it razed for a new-build, very large capacity (1,800 people) New Majestic / Majestic Theatre “#3” was ready on October 22, 1915 for a soft opening with Geraldine Farrar in “Carmen.” He incorporated his entertainment company based on the theater’s opening and with designs on becoming a chain operator.
The theatre had a main floor of around 1,000 patrons with a second balcony for smokers and a third balcony for African American patrons - about 400 cap each said to be very tight. Unfortunately, just prior to the theatre’s launch, Bowers' wife, Octavine Bowers died at around age 40. Two months after the soft launch the grand opening event was just five days away from its grand opening with a major film star en route. Then Houston Bowers, dropped dead at age 44 on December 28, 1915.
His brother found a successor in his boss: dry goods store owner R.E. Kennington in April of 1916. Kennington drew up plans to modernize the theatre (as seen in photos) and - as Kennington’s Majestic Theatre (Majestic Theatre #3” ver. 2.0 - would promptly be gutted by fire in January of 1917. It would reopen on April 17, 1917 with a new look.
Saenger Amusement of New Orleans took on the Century Theatre with live programming in 1917. They made a bold move pairing up with Kennington to make the Majestic Theatre a real movie palace in 1926. Kennington-Saenger’s New Majestic Theatre #3 ver. 3.0 opened June 14, 1926. This was theatre which people remembered because it was downsized to 980 seats and given a $25,000 Morton Organ which was largely built in place of the third balcony other than the console.
The final significant transition was Majestic #3 ver. 3.5 - the addition of Vitaphone sound on September 13, 1928 with “Glorious Betsy.” In the 1930s, it was equipped with sound-on-film replacing discs. In June of 1929, Publix acquired the Majestic, Century and Istrione theaters. But streamline palaces such as the Saenger’s Paramount and the upgrading of the Century Theatre put the Majestic into a third-tier spot. When post-War suburban movie houses, drive-ins, and television put a crimp in business, the Majestic’s days were numbered. Under final operator Paramount-Gulf Theatres, the Majestic closed July 14, 1951 with Rod Cameron in “Oh, Susanna” supported by a cartoon and a newsreel.
Woolworth’s - which had bought the earlier Majestic Theatre #2 - now purchased Majestic Theatre #3 to expand to a larger store that operated all the way to April of 1977. In their tearing out of the old theatre, give Woolworth’s a ton of credit for properly de-installing the moribund Robert Morton organ console from the pit and its mechanics from the third balcony at their expense and properly documenting its donation. Woolworth’s was operating on a 40-year lease. But in 1976, the City of Jackson announced a plan to buy and raze 17 properties for a downtown revitalization project which took out the former Majestic #2, #3 and still operating Woolworth. Woolworth’s closed in April of 1977 and the building was razed thereafter.
Majestic Theatre #2 - September 14, 1913 at 126 E. Capitol with the first being nearby on West Capitol (both operating during the State Fair of 1913)
The Silver Slipper was purchased by new operators in August of 1941 and they gave the ozoner a new look with new technology at its relaunch on October 17, 1941 as Drive-In Theatre - likely on a 20-year lease.
Half-way through the venue was rebranded as the Hi-Way 80 Drive-In Theatre on January 23, 1951 with “West Point Story.” On February 22, 1954, it was advertised as the 80 Drive-In likely with a new widescreen tower. And closed at the end of its 20-year leasing agreement in 1961.
An article said that the property had been designated for the Interstate project that would become I-20; and although very close by, the I-20 project didn’t use the exact location of the 80 D-I.
Closed permanently on April 29, 1973 with “The Female Response” and “Helga.”
Cinema West 1 & 2 got to the finish line as a twin-screen venue before anyone else in Jackson. The $200,000 venue eschewed high visibility and major traffic to operate to its neighborhood base. It was initially programmed with a family-friendly film on Screen 1 at 99 cents admission and a more mature audience themed film on Screen 2 at a $1.50 price point. That mission lasted about two months when the kids films weren’t cutting it. Windsor Showcase Theatres operated the venue in its formative years. It closed on November 16, 1991 with “Boyz in the Hood.”
Joe Mitchell relit the venue on March 20, 1992 with “Juice” and “Freejack” as it programmed second-run, discount films with African American audiences in mind. It was one of the few African American owned and operated venues in the United States in the early 1990s / megaplex era. Mitchell paid close attention to security as that was a concern of patrons, undoubtedly.
Cinema West 2 appears to have closed December 19, 1993 with “Menace II Society” and “Hard Target.” Investment in Jackson seemed to be heading to North Jackson, Clinton, and other suburbs. Based on its mentions in the local police blotter, the end of Cinema West showed it in a moderate to above average crime zone which likely didn’t help attendance. In August of 1994, it had become a house of worship for 30 plus years.
BTW: It wasn’t called the Cotton Bowl Cinema but did operate across from the Cotton Bowl bowling lanes.
In the grand scheme of things, accuracy on these entries isn’t that important. But to start out with “The Meadowbrook Cinemas were built on the site of the 51 Drive-In which also included the Northside Shopping Center.” I’m not sure what that means but it is probably clearer than what happened.
So what actually transpired is that Jackson’s Northsiders received a lot of post-War retail shopping options. Further, developers used land buys to put up drive-ins as place holders in case the land value increased. That’s what happened here as the 51 Drive-In occupied this spot for 15 years opting out at the half-way point of a 30-year lease due to the land value increases. There may have been “The Northside Shopping Center” in Jackson but the 51 Drive-In was on the western side of the Northwood Shopping Center anchored by an Anthony’s Department Store. To the South of the Drive-In, the Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center was created and opened across the street on March 14, 1954 anchored by a Black & White Store, a Kroger and a Ben Franklin.
The 51 Drive-In was purchased in 1964 and demolished in August of 1964 for Miller’s Mart Shopping Center to be anchored by a Miller’s Discount Store and a Sunflower grocery store #41. The center’s name didn’t hold long and renamed the Meadowbrook Shopping Center - which had to confuse folks with the Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center right across the street.
Miller Discount Stores' parent, Daylin Inc., announced a bankruptcy reorganization shutters all the Millers. In 1976, after Millers' fixture sale, a spot opened up for the Meadowbrook Theatre. And that’s how it ended up in the Meadowbook Shopping Center. Gulf State Theatres contracted with architect William J. Hughes, Jr. of Baton Rouge to use half of the Miller’s Discount Store anchor for the tight six screen venue. It had 1,372 seats. The large Audi #1 had 392 seats. Audi #2, #3, and #4 had 210 each. Audi #5 and #6 had 196 and 154, respectively.
On December 22, 1976, Gulf States Theatres opened the Meadwbrook 6 Cinemas playing six films as a fund raiser for Toys for Tots. In 1986, United Artists bought Gulf States Theatres and on June 26, 1987, this became the UA Meadowbrook 6. The Center ran into chop when Sunflower #41 ankled the store at its lease expiry in late summer of 1991. UA left the building on January 16, 1992 citing end of lease and increased crime rates in the area. The re-emerged Gulf State Theatres of New Orleans took the venue back on as a sub-run discount house on April 10, 1992 with six films and a tagline of, “Security provided by the Jackson Police Department.” Future ads listed showtimes with “Police Security!” as a tagline. Gulf States' sequel operation ended on August 23, 1993.
On September 3, 1993, Cobb Theatres picked up the six-plex continuing the dollar fifty run. Cobb ran here until June 6, 1996 closing with films including the rationale given for its closure, “Executive Decision.” The spot may have been subsumed by the Piggly Wiggly. And as a post-script, the Meadowbrook and Northwood shopping centers continued. But in 2022, the greyfield status Meadowbrook Mart Shopping Center across the street was razed to end any confusion between the two closely-named shopping centers.
James W. Wilson, Jr. and Sears' mall division, Homart, announced this incredibly large $100 million super-regional project on March 24, 1975. In 1977, General Cinema Corp. (GCC) incorporated for business in Mississippi and built a $475,000 outparcel four-plex adjacent to the Metrocenter Mall in what was called Metro Center Convenience Center. The Metrocenter Mall hit its March 1, 1978 targeted grand opening. The Metro Center Convenience Center - an outer ring of peripheral stores - was also on target with staggered openings including the Genera Cinema in December of 1978 and the Service Merchandise on March 15, 1979.
The GCC quad held its open house for the Metro Center I•II•III•IV on December 14, 1978 to hit “Superman’s” and “Oliver’s Story” national December 15, 1978 launches. Summer hits “Grease” and “Foul Play” filled the other spots ahead of Christmas releases. It had four identical 317 seat auditoriums for a total capacity of 1,268 seats. The theatre competed with a twin theater at Ellis Isle Shopping Center less than three miles away; it would become a four-plex to remain viable in 1980.
On November 21, 1991, Cobb Theatres of Birmingham took on eight Florida GCC locations and the Metrocenter. It became the Cobb Metro Center 4 and General Cinema’s initial foray into Mississippi had ended. With megaplexes considered “all that” in the early 1990s judging by new 10- to 14-plex venues, aging quads like the Metro Center and nearby Ellis Isle were doomed. In 1993, UA voted its quad off of the Ellis Isle Shopping Center. Meanwhile, Regal Entertainment Group acquired Cobb Theatres in June of 1997. Regal’s nameplate began in September of 1997 with the Cobb Metro Center 4 remaining its name through October 15, 1998. Its days were numbered.
The Metrocenter was built on a heavy reliance of 20-year leasing agreements to reach 100 percent occupancy. The Mall’s initial decline began at that point in 1998 and began with Dillard’s closing one of the anchors due to an overlapping acquisition. The outdated Metro Center Convenience Center began a facelift by new mall owner Coyote Management in Spring of 1998. But Regal said not to bother with their property announcing its closure on September 16, 1998 with “Chill Factor,” “Stigmata,” “In Too Deep,” and “Wood.” Service Merchandise shuttered in 2002. The cinema was demolished in 2004.
Metrocenter went into a near death spiral becoming a greyscale property. The City of Jackson acquired unused anchors for city services attracting non mall shoppers. This gave the mall a gangly and wildly different experience - often unpleasant - as it moved toward an inexorable and largely welcomed closure. A redevelopment plan for the mall was okayed by the City of Jackson in 2026.
Auditorium 1 had 500 seats and 2 had 400 or 900 total cap
1988
The Valley Theatre launched on June 10, 1948 with Randolph Scott in “Gunfighters” and a capacity of 500 seats - 100 in the balcony and 400 on the main floor. Appears to have folded up likely at the end of a 15-year opt out on January 6, 1963 with “Notorious Landlady.” The theatre was used for live events and as a house of worship before being converted to retail.
The AMC CLASSIC Wilson 10 venue marked the last transition for the Parkwood Mall turned Wilson Mall which had opened as the outdoor strip, Parkwood Shopping Center in 1964. The center added a single-screen suburban luxury cinema in 1968 that became a triple, the Parkwood Theatre turned Parkwood Triple.
The center was enclosed as an indoor mall to refresh at the halfway point of the 30-year leasing mark in 1979. At the end of the 30-year mark, it was reimagined for its final run. Renamed by new owners as the Wilson Mall, a major part of the facility was a new venue, the Carmike 10 opening June 9, 2006 with “Cars” on three screens and “The Omen (2006)” on two. The Wilson Mall sprinted to greyfield status - a term akin to a “dead mall” - as many U.S. malls did in the period. The Wilson Mall officially made it to the end of the Christmas 2012 season before being shuttered in January. The Carmike continued operations.
In 2016, AMC Theatres bought Carmike Cinemas. In March of 2017, it decided to call a wide swathe of acquired cinemas as “AMC Classic” - a category of cinemas it inherited that it categorized as ones that fewer updates would occur in and more likely to run to end of lease. And that’s exactly what happened here as the venue became the AMC Classic Wilson 10.
The Wilson 10 closed March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic along with the majority of movie theaters around the globe. Seven months later it re-emerged on October 20, 2020 for its final lease stretch run. In February of 2026, the derelict Wilson Mall property near it was finally demolished. Despite the circumstances, the AMC Wilson 10 Classic was a survivor and celebrated the venue’s 20th birthday… and then its final night the next day, June 10, 2026, able to bail at the 20-year leasing point.
The Bruce Theatre opene June 1, 1944 with “Lost Angel” followed by a June 3, 1944 formal opening with “See Here, Private Hargrove.” It was housed in the Jack LaCour Building - a multi business building with LaCour’s Menswear - as a retail conversion. It closed July 31, 1957 with Robert Ryan in “Men at War.” It was converted back to retail as Betty Lee Shoes. The entire building was demolished in the 1980s and is now a small pedestrian park.
This long-running, name-changing movie house of 43 years opened as the new-build Encell Theatre / Encell’s Theater near the corner of Moneta Avenue and Manchester Avenue on October 19, 1921 with Lyman H. Howe’s “The Ride on a Runaway Train” and other short subjects. (The properties had been offered for sale as lots in 1920.) Beginning on January 1, 1926, Moneta Avenue was renamed as Broadway. So they felt the need to change the name of the theatre later that year - or, more likely - under new operators became the Mecca Theatre.
The Mecca transitioned to live events programming at the start of the 1930s likely unable to covert to sound. But in 1931, they installed both Photophone sound and air conditioning of some sort to become viable. It appears to have closed briefly during WW2.
On August 18, 1944, it was reopened as the Pix Theatre on a 20-year leasing agreement with the Snuffy Smith / Barney Google B-series film, “Hillbilly Blitzkrieg” - the second and final film in the series. On March 28, 1948, the Pix closed for remodeling.
Under new operators, it was relit as the AAA Theatre (sometimes Triple AAA in marketing which one could assume as aka the AAAAAAAAA Theater). The Gala Reopening Week began on November 3, 1948 with Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett in “Hollow Triumph” and Virginia Gilmore and Alan Baxter in “Close-up.”
About three operators later it is listed as the Triple AAA Theatre and it switches to Spanish language films on October 19, 1962 with Cantinflas in “un día con el Diablo” and Silvia Pinal in “una Golfa.” It was also the 41st birthday of the veteran neighborhood cinema: feliz cumpleaños. El teatro trío AAA dijo “no más” al finalizar su contrato de arrendamiento on 16 de agosto de 1964.
The Broadway theater was offered for sale or lease in 1964 becoming various houses of worship thereafter. In the 2020s, it was Ministerios Ebenezer Campamento Celestial: Los Angeles.
Edward P. Rupert co-architect
Edward P. Rupert architect