Newtowne 1 & 2
1515 E. Broad Street,
Statesville,
NC
28625
1515 E. Broad Street,
Statesville,
NC
28625
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Carmike Cinemas, Martin Theatres, Statesville Theater Corp.
Architects: Thomas H. Hutchens
Previous Names: Newtowne Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Newtowne Theatre was opened on April 26, 1967 as a single screen cinema, with a seating capacity of 530. Owned and operated by Statesville Theatre Corporation under Fuller Sams. The architect was Thomas H. Hutchens. The premiere attraction at the grand opening was the showing of “Hombre” starring Paul Newman. By 1978, Martin Theatres took over this theatre and twinned it on March 26, 1982. Later, Carmike Cinemas would acquire operations until its closing on September 14, 2000.
The only outside highlights are huge poster frames and the marquee of the building. Even the pillars on the front of the building are brick.
Over the years, the interior has been remodeled and the Art Deco concession stand has been painted over and stripped of its former metallic accents. In a few sections of the lobby, you could also see where the carpet was covering up a rather nice wooden floor.
The box office has also been stripped to nothing but a bare floor, an old counter top, a torn ‘CLOSED’ curtain, and a microphone with a short in it.
What business was left after the opening of AM Star and Eastern Federal megaplexes down the road, in Mooresville and Hunterville, was eaten up by a sister theatre across the highway.
It was demolished on August 22, 2025.
Contributed by
UAGirl, Raysson
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Recent comments (view all 25 comments)
Newtowne is actually beside the JR Tobacco Discount Outlet. It’s still standing unless it’s been torn down in the past month or two. It’s sandwiched in between the JR Outlet on the left side near the highway and the pizza place with the high pointed triangular roof that is right off the highway.
We have several decent photos of the exterior in the photos section now. Could we get one of them to replace the empty sign as the main photo? I was out there the other day and that sign has been removed too at this point.
Video of this theater on You Tube as of 12/29/16. Recorded in April 2016. Theater and surrounding restaurants closed but still there. Shots of the interior only of what could seen through the front windows. Lots of mold but everything still intact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzZRcLMIh6k
Newtowne still stands. Old site of Village Inn Pizza was demolished a few months ago. Weird seeing it from the highway without the old Village Inn A-frame there. I’d imagine Newtowne is not much further from demolition. This whole area is pretty much a ghosttown outside of the Starbucks near the front.
Newtowne grand opening ad posted.
Two screens on March 26th, 1982. Another ad posted.
Carmike closed it on September 14th, 2000.
The final films screened there were chicken run and Thomas and the magic railroad
The Newtowne is no longer with it. It and El Tio’s were demolished today 😔 I stopped off and got a brick with permission. My most beloved childhood theatre. Sad to see it go.
*with us. I can’t edit the above comment. The JR’s next to the theatre and restaurant is being demolished now. I imagine the entire Newtowne Plaza strip mall is going to be torn down. It’s tenancy has been abysmal for years. JR’s was the last real anchor and it’s been closed since around 2014-15.
This was a popular spot in Statesville for many years and the crown jewel of shopping and entertainment off I-40 and I-77 in from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with Signal Hill Mall next to it on the right. Both Newtowne Plaza and Signal Hill have been ghost towns for years though sadly. It wouldn’t surprise me if Signal Hill gets demolished as well after this and the land used for another soulless strip of Five Below, Dollar General, Ulta, etc. or a Wal Mart.