Plaza 3 Theatre
3237 Tyre Neck Road,
Portsmouth,
VA
23703
3237 Tyre Neck Road,
Portsmouth,
VA
23703
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theatres, Cinema City, Neighborhood Theatres
Nearby Theaters
Opened on December 25, 1970. Closed in 1998. Located in the Plaza Shopping Center.
Contributed by
Chief Bob Jensen
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
An article in the March 1992 edition of Boxoffice states that NEI acquired this theatre from previous tenants Century Theatres Inc.
I know this was NOT Century/Syufy and don’t believe that the Century Cinema Corp was operating at this time.
There was another Plaza 3 but in Churchland. Three very small audioriums and opened in the early 70’s. The big deal here was despite the tiny screen, one of these theatres was equipped for 70mm projection with six track stereo sound. It was also the first theatre in Va that was equipped for Dolby Stereo. I am wondering if this is the same theatre.
The lobby of the theater opened into a common area shared with at least two other large businesses creating a mini mall effect. At one point the two other businesses were a pharmacy and a steak house. The shopping center has been torn down with the exception of a few out parcels and replaced by a Harris Teeter store.
I saw many a movie at the Churchland Plaza 3 that bufffilmbuff mentioned. My family used to frequent the steak house there. I swear at one time the restaurant was called “The Purple Possum”. There was a drug store or something that shared the same space. I would browse through the magazine area for Fangoria and other horror/sci fi mags waiting for my parents to come get me to go into the theater.
I remember seeing The Rescuers there because Star Wars was sold out. Also went to see some movie with my parents and American Werewolf in London was playing in one of the other auditoriums. I peaked through the small glass window and witnessed part of the transformation scenes.
The last movie I saw there was Leprechaun…..and I walked out on it. HA HA!
Sharing the link to a newly-published chronology of the Tidewater region’s 70mm presentations. The Plaza is mentioned quite a few times in the piece.
First operated by Cinema City Theatres. This opened in the 1970s, although I cannot find its grand opening advertisement.
First ad placed on December 25th, 1970.