I lived at this theatre in my youth and through High School when it was a dollar house. It was a great date theatre as a couple of the houses had little coves to the left and behind the entrance doors to the theatre where you could sit, watch the movie and have a little privacy. Unfortunately the area started going down and all the newer theatres finally shut it down.
I worked at this theatre from 1993 until 1998 when I moved over to the Gwinnett District Office United Artists Theatre.
My time there was some of the absolute best times in a job ever. Great friends and a great place to work, though it could not keep up with the changing times.
United Artists Theatres corporate lived in the past. They could not comprehend the changing times coming with the advent of stadium seating and full digital houses. I was an assistant manager there most of my time and we sent several proposals to corporate for new site locations only to be told there was no market for a new theatre there. Ironically one of the locations would later be chosen by AMC to build a flagship 24 screen location.
Cinemas 8 was one of the only existing “self-serve” theatres at the time anywhere that I knew of. You entered into a large enclosed area and picked up your popcorn bucket and cup and filled as you liked. It gave you full control how much butter to put on your corn.
Course, that was a huge pain to clean up after a rush. People are messy. Corn was popped from behind and a series of augers were used to pour the corn out into buckets.
There were 8 screens. When I started only two were Dolby. We added two more later on.
Screen 1 – Mono sound, small house (80 seats?)
Screen 2 – Mono sound, medium house (100+ seats?)
Screen 3 – Stereo, medium/large house (200+ seats?)
Screen 4 – Dolby Stereo, Silver Screen, large house (300 seats?)
Screen 5 – Dolby Stereo, DTS Sound, 35/70mm, large house (300 seats?)
Screen 6 – Stereo, medium/large house (200+ seats?)
Screen 7 – Mono sound, medium house (100+ seats?)
Screen 8 – Mono sound, small house (80 seats?)
Sadly, the area went down hill while I was there and we ended up getting robbed on three different occasions. I was robbed at gun point once myself. The theatre now sits closed and boarded up. I’d love to get back in there for a memory tour. Several of us still keep in touch from time to time.
I wonder if that rolling popper stand is still behind screen 5?
I lived at this theatre in my youth and through High School when it was a dollar house. It was a great date theatre as a couple of the houses had little coves to the left and behind the entrance doors to the theatre where you could sit, watch the movie and have a little privacy. Unfortunately the area started going down and all the newer theatres finally shut it down.
I remember going there with my family to see a number of blockbusters. Specifically I remember Gremlins and I believe Jedi was there as well.
Being so young at time I didn’t really notice the shortcomings. For some reason the concession stand is really engraved in my mind.
I worked at this theatre from 1993 until 1998 when I moved over to the Gwinnett District Office United Artists Theatre.
My time there was some of the absolute best times in a job ever. Great friends and a great place to work, though it could not keep up with the changing times.
United Artists Theatres corporate lived in the past. They could not comprehend the changing times coming with the advent of stadium seating and full digital houses. I was an assistant manager there most of my time and we sent several proposals to corporate for new site locations only to be told there was no market for a new theatre there. Ironically one of the locations would later be chosen by AMC to build a flagship 24 screen location.
Cinemas 8 was one of the only existing “self-serve” theatres at the time anywhere that I knew of. You entered into a large enclosed area and picked up your popcorn bucket and cup and filled as you liked. It gave you full control how much butter to put on your corn.
Course, that was a huge pain to clean up after a rush. People are messy. Corn was popped from behind and a series of augers were used to pour the corn out into buckets.
There were 8 screens. When I started only two were Dolby. We added two more later on.
Screen 1 – Mono sound, small house (80 seats?)
Screen 2 – Mono sound, medium house (100+ seats?)
Screen 3 – Stereo, medium/large house (200+ seats?)
Screen 4 – Dolby Stereo, Silver Screen, large house (300 seats?)
Screen 5 – Dolby Stereo, DTS Sound, 35/70mm, large house (300 seats?)
Screen 6 – Stereo, medium/large house (200+ seats?)
Screen 7 – Mono sound, medium house (100+ seats?)
Screen 8 – Mono sound, small house (80 seats?)
Sadly, the area went down hill while I was there and we ended up getting robbed on three different occasions. I was robbed at gun point once myself. The theatre now sits closed and boarded up. I’d love to get back in there for a memory tour. Several of us still keep in touch from time to time.
I wonder if that rolling popper stand is still behind screen 5?