Suburban Theater

7550 Granby Street,
Norfolk, VA 23505

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Visulite Theaters

Functions: Retail

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This then-contemporary theatre opened on March 22, 1942 with Penny Singleton in “Go West, Young Woman”. It continued to operate into the 1970’s and included first run showings of James Bond thrillers and “Midnight Cowboy”.

Contributed by Craig Snyder

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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

Ken Roe on July 28, 2006 at 1:17 am

Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition with a seating capacity of 650. The address given is; 7528 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA.

AdrianEverett on January 16, 2007 at 10:12 pm

I grew up here as a kid during the mid to late 1970s. My dad Charles Everett was the projectionist and my mom Evelyn was the Concessions Lady. I used to help my dad with the Marquee lettering located on top corner of the Kaybee Toy Store. The only way to access the marquee was through the Men’s Room Window which was located upstairs next the projection booth. The reason why Suburban was closed was because from 1979 to 1980 all that was playing was porn films. This brought about prostitutes to the area. Navy men would take these ladies of the night out into the adjoining neighborhoods and the rich people back there would complain to the city. The City of Norfolk had enough and ordered the Suburban closed once and for all. My mom and dad were there that final night and thankfully mom has one picture of the Marquee stating “Sorry We’re Closed” in her scrapbooks.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on April 29, 2012 at 2:44 pm

PLEASE CHANGE ADDRESS TO:

GRANBY STREET AND EAST LITTLE CREEK ROAD

The present address maps to about ½ mile too far South. It was in the Southeast corner shopping center, what is now called the Suburban Park Shopping Center.

FUNTIONS: RETAIL

PLEASE REMOVE DEMOLISHED, just because a theater is gutted does not make it demolished.

PREVIOUSLY OPERATED BY:

HOFHEIMER THEATRES VISULITE THEATRES ROME THEATRES, INC. & VISULITE THEATRES

THANKS

Entertainment Buff on May 1, 2012 at 5:58 am

I remember a friend told me that he went to see the notorious 1972 underground John Waters film “Pink Flamingos” at the Suburban. He said the woman in front of him leaned to her date and asked about Divine: “Is that a man?” Her date nodded, and soon the couple got up and left! I remember when I first moved to Norfolk in 1974, “American Graffiti” was playing there.

paulnelson on November 9, 2013 at 1:51 am

Wonderful photo of the theatre marquee and the classic cars. Wow such memories.

fullnoodlefrontity on February 10, 2014 at 11:36 pm

This entire shopping center was demolished last year. The site is now occupied by a Harris Teeter grocery store.

opticalguy on January 5, 2015 at 5:13 pm

I saw GOLDFINGER there on it’s initial release (at age 10) and didn’t know whether to s**t or go blind! I still feel tingly when I hear the opening bars to the title theme. I saw some more “age appropriate” Disney fare there such as THE LIVING DESERT. One of my fondest memories is when the management got a bunch of cartoons and shorts from the regional film exchange and the theater was packed and we all laughed until our sides literally hurt. Does anyone have photos of the place and are any in color? I have an overwhelming impression of red (from the seat backs) and blonde plywood from my hazy memory. Was I accurate?