UA DeVargas Mall Cinema 6
562 N. Guadalupe Street,
Santa Fe,
NM
87501
562 N. Guadalupe Street,
Santa Fe,
NM
87501
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DeVargas Shopping Center launched in phases beginning on October 28, 1970 with its first anchor, Montogmery Ward opening there. Additions led to name changes over time that included DeVargas Center Mall, DeVargas Mall and DeVargas Center. At the DeVargas Center Mall phase of 1973, a spot was carved out for a twin-screen theater for the American Automated Theatres Inc. Circuit (AATI).
Arguably, this was the most successful of all AATI locations. J. Cooper Burks out of Oklahoma City identified Ralph Lindell as the franchisee late in 1973. The theatre launched February 16, 1974 as The Movies! 1 & 2 - De Vargas Center Mall. New operators took on the location and in June of 1980 it lost its exclamation mark as the more sedate, Movies Twin - DeVargas Mall. The theatre closed at the end of a ten-year leasing agreement.
The theatre relaunched as Movies. Commonwealth ran the theatre as the Movies Twin and then the De Vargas Twin before selling out to United Artists. The theatre closed on January 10, 1992 for a major remodel as UA was shuttering twin-screen locations in favor of 6-screen and 8-screen multiplexes. The theater re-emerged on May 22, 1992 as the UA De Vargas 6. UA closed at the end of a 15-year lease opt out on January 22, 2017. At 44 years of operation, this was the longest-running of any of the AATI venues.
Arguably, this was the most successful of all of the American Automated Theatres Inc. Circuit (AATI) locations. J. Cooper Burks out of Oklahoma City identified Ralph Lindell as the franchisee late in 1973. The theatre launched February 16, 1974 as The Movies! 1 & 2 - De Vargas Center Mall. New operators took on the location and in June of 1980 it lost its exclamation mark as the more sedate, Movies Twin - DeVargas Mall. The theatre closed at the end of a ten-year leasing agreement.
The theatre relaunched as Movies. Commonwealth ran the theatre as the Movies Twin and then the De Vargas Twin before selling out to United Artists. The theatre closed on January 10, 1992 for a major remodel as UA was shuttering twin-screen locations in favor of 6-screen and 8-screen multiplexes. The theater re-emerged on May 22, 1992 as the UA De Vargas 6. UA closed at the end of a 15-year lease opt out on January 22, 2017. At 44 years of operation, this was the longest-running of any of the AATI venues.
This has closed on January 22nd, 2017
The 7/26/1985 edition of Santa Fe’s “The New Mexican” featured articles touting Commonwealth building the Cinema 6 at the DeVargas Mall.
I could not find anything in the articles that called out whether this was an entirely new build separate from the Movies 1 & 2, or if it was a 4-screen addition.
February 15th, 1974 grand opening ad as The Movies as well as the May 22nd, 1992 grand opening for the UA De Vargas 6 can be found in the photo section.