BTW, the address provided for the venue has to be incorrect. It is listed as North Fifth Street, that is incorrect, it was on SOUTH Fifth, as the dividing line for N/S is First Capitol Drive and it was definitely south, as it was along I-70 south of Booneslick. A Walgreen’s is on the site now.
No way these theatres could have opened in 1961 facing Busch Memorial Stadium, it wasn’t open until 1967. They were touted along with the stadium as part of the “revitalization” of downtown.
They are still “revitalizing” and it hasn’t worked yet.
Actually it is one block EAST of Jungermann. The corner of Jungermann and Mexico is occupied by a bank, a gas station, a Jack in the Box and an empty lot.
Something tells me Wehrenberg does the booking for this chain. I saw their ad in the movies section of the STL Post Dishrag and Keller was listed in at the bottom of Wehrenberg’s listings.
I’ll take ya back further…I remember when I-70 (the highway, not the drive in) wasn’t there.
I know the family who owned the property the mall sits on.
Funny-I’ve never been in that theater, yet I live within walking distance.
IIRC the one nearest the highway was the original so it couldn’t be seen from the highway. Then the second was added, which faced the highway but was far enough down the hill so as not to be seen. Mid Rivers Dodge (formerly Royal Oaks, which moved into the former cave Springs Cinema site) uses that portion of the property as a parking lot.
Okay, that was before the ex ran the place. I only can remember two, one being “Bud” and the other, IIRC his name was Jerry? He learned he was a distant relative to Howard Hughes and may have resigned to go through all that in the courts. I did live across the street from him for a short time in St. Charles in about 83.
The Strand was not at the corner of St. Charles Rock Rd and Second st. The Chicken Shack was on that site. The Strand was down the street where th St. Charles County Administration building is now. Len’s Race Place/hobby shop and the Girls Scouts building was next door. City Hall was built between the Strand and the bridge.
I remember seeing first run movies there as a kid, such as Help and Boeing, Boeing. Ten cent ice cream bars from a neat little machine that delivered them to you via “elevator”. I remember that place as being very dark, with sticky floors.
One day a few years ago I took a “tour” of what was left of the concession stand/projection booth. I found in some of the rubble a couple film takeup sprockets from a projector. These became part of a project at work in which I modified a long roll 35mm still camera.
I think I still have one of those spools in my desk somewhere….
The I70 did indeed have their logo on the back of the screen which faced Mexico Road. Driven past it many times, I live about a mile and a half from there.
Yep, it was on Mexico Rd and became a Chrysler dealership, Royal Oaks, which later moved to the present location on Veterans memorial, which is the old Zeiser Dodge. I had forgotten about that theater.
This should not be confused with the old I-70 drive in, which is the Dodge dealership site today.
My ex wife managed the C4C in the early -mid 80s. It wasn’t a very nice place in its final years before being replaced by the Ct. Charles 10 (now 14). She also managed the St. Andrews for a short time.
I knew a couple of the projectionists at C4C. ex1431a your name wouldn’t happen to be “Bud”, would it?
Saw a pic today of the screen nearest the highway. At that time, no logo on the back of the screen.
JAlex, thanks for the info!
BTW, the address provided for the venue has to be incorrect. It is listed as North Fifth Street, that is incorrect, it was on SOUTH Fifth, as the dividing line for N/S is First Capitol Drive and it was definitely south, as it was along I-70 south of Booneslick. A Walgreen’s is on the site now.
Don’t recall what year the second screen was added.
No way these theatres could have opened in 1961 facing Busch Memorial Stadium, it wasn’t open until 1967. They were touted along with the stadium as part of the “revitalization” of downtown.
They are still “revitalizing” and it hasn’t worked yet.
Actually it is one block EAST of Jungermann. The corner of Jungermann and Mexico is occupied by a bank, a gas station, a Jack in the Box and an empty lot.
Correct website is earlann.net
Something tells me Wehrenberg does the booking for this chain. I saw their ad in the movies section of the STL Post Dishrag and Keller was listed in at the bottom of Wehrenberg’s listings.
I could be wrong. but WTH.
I’ll take ya back further…I remember when I-70 (the highway, not the drive in) wasn’t there.
I know the family who owned the property the mall sits on.
Funny-I’ve never been in that theater, yet I live within walking distance.
IIRC the one nearest the highway was the original so it couldn’t be seen from the highway. Then the second was added, which faced the highway but was far enough down the hill so as not to be seen. Mid Rivers Dodge (formerly Royal Oaks, which moved into the former cave Springs Cinema site) uses that portion of the property as a parking lot.
And the Regency being closed now, too.
The Cave Springs Cinema/Royal Oaks site sits vacant.
Okay, that was before the ex ran the place. I only can remember two, one being “Bud” and the other, IIRC his name was Jerry? He learned he was a distant relative to Howard Hughes and may have resigned to go through all that in the courts. I did live across the street from him for a short time in St. Charles in about 83.
When are they going to build the highway? As it is right now it’s no better than a six lane goat path.
The Strand was not at the corner of St. Charles Rock Rd and Second st. The Chicken Shack was on that site. The Strand was down the street where th St. Charles County Administration building is now. Len’s Race Place/hobby shop and the Girls Scouts building was next door. City Hall was built between the Strand and the bridge.
I remember seeing first run movies there as a kid, such as Help and Boeing, Boeing. Ten cent ice cream bars from a neat little machine that delivered them to you via “elevator”. I remember that place as being very dark, with sticky floors.
One day a few years ago I took a “tour” of what was left of the concession stand/projection booth. I found in some of the rubble a couple film takeup sprockets from a projector. These became part of a project at work in which I modified a long roll 35mm still camera.
I think I still have one of those spools in my desk somewhere….
Wasn’t it a flea market for a while?
The I70 did indeed have their logo on the back of the screen which faced Mexico Road. Driven past it many times, I live about a mile and a half from there.
Yep, it was on Mexico Rd and became a Chrysler dealership, Royal Oaks, which later moved to the present location on Veterans memorial, which is the old Zeiser Dodge. I had forgotten about that theater.
This should not be confused with the old I-70 drive in, which is the Dodge dealership site today.
My ex wife managed the C4C in the early -mid 80s. It wasn’t a very nice place in its final years before being replaced by the Ct. Charles 10 (now 14). She also managed the St. Andrews for a short time.
I knew a couple of the projectionists at C4C. ex1431a your name wouldn’t happen to be “Bud”, would it?