AMC Kitsap 8
10055 Kitsap Mall Boulevard NW,
Silverdale,
WA
98383
10055 Kitsap Mall Boulevard NW,
Silverdale,
WA
98383
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I neglected to mention in my previous comment of a major issue that almost further delayed the opening of this theater. It had been scheduled to open before the Christmas season but there were many construction delays. Hence the mid-January opening.
At the last minute, the local fire department insisted that the projection equipment have an Underwriters Labs label. Or a certificate from another nationally recognized testing laboratory. Our Italian made Cinemeccanica projectors and consoles of course did not have this. GCC had to, at great expense, hire another company to do the testing on site. Maryland Testing Laboratories flew a man out from Baltimore for two days so that he could inspect and certify the machines as safe. He even placed a Maryland Testing Labs sticker on each machine.
I was the opening projectionist for this theater. Opened as a 6-plex, all 35mm with 2 Dolby houses and 4 mono. First Dolby houses in the county. Business was poor at first, Weekends were OK but weekdays suffered greatly. Weekday matinees were especially bad, often zero attendance for multiple showings throughout the afternoon. GCC did however maintain the daily matinee policy throughout my 2+ years there. Competing 4-plex less than 100 feet away, just across the parking lot.
A GCC Home Office executive was present for the opening week. It was Charlie Atkinson as I recall. He said to me that he was afraid that the company was some 5 or more years early in opening this theater after he saw the receipts for the first weekday showings.
There was an active farm next door, a gate got left open and we had horses from the farm in our parking lot on opening night. Within a year or so, that farm was gone. Replaced by big box retail including a Toys R Us.
Silverdale is a Navy town, submarine base is there and the Bremerton Navel Shipyard just a few miles away.
Opened January 16th, 1987.
This theater is located directly across the parking lot from Regal Cinemas' Silverdale 4 theater. Both theater complexes are only about 100 feet from each other!