General Cinema Copperfield 6

Grand opening ad posted.

Announced in late 1985, the General Cinema Copperfield 6 was created in the height of the multiplex era of cinema exhibition. Between 1981-built Copperfield Village Shopping Center and the 1986-built Copperfield Crossing center, builder Friendswood Development (an Exxon subsidiary) had 400,000 in retail space created in North Houston.

The architect was James A. Bishop & Associates with General Cinema getting a 1,700 seat ‘plex with stereo sound and self-rising seating. Handy Dan, Safeway and Wal-Mart were the big names. So you already know that General Cinema wouldn’t come close to completing its 30-year leasing contract or even 15-years toward that. But this time they were beaten to the door by Safeway which opened for a four-week grand opening in January of 1987, four more weeks of regular business and they were gone. Bolted. They left even prior to General Cinema Copperfield 6’s May 15, 1987 debut.

And another large anchor left when Handy Dan threw in the hammer closing all of its Texas stores in 1989. General Cinema looked good until the megaplex era came and the company had no more game. This Copperfield’s vanishing act happened after October 19, 1998 showings of “Blade,” “Rounders, "There’s… Mary,” “Air Bud:GR,” “What Dreams May Come,” and “Ever After.”

For its first encore, General Cinema made the West Oaks Central 7 two weeks later on October 29, 1998. And for its big finish that year, it the made the Willowbrook, Deerbrook Commons and Baybrook Mall disappear following December 10, 1998 leaving Houston with just two GCCs in the Meyerland and Nasa Point. A stunning reversal.