Florence Cinemas
7685 Florence Mall Road,
Florence,
KY
41042
7685 Florence Mall Road,
Florence,
KY
41042
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: National Amusements
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News About This Theater
- Aug 21, 2009 — "Alien" 30th Anniversary
The Florence Cinemas opened December 22, 1976 by National Amusements. It featured eight screens with stereo sound in each auditorium and staggered seating with cup holders in the arm rests. Very plain in design. It looked like a box style building was built in front of the auditoriums with a small lobby. There was a large overhang above the entrance with flat attraction panels. The theatre was in good shape and well maintained but could use a remodel to bring it up to date.
The Florence Cinemas was closed by National Amusements in September 2008, when the Showcase Cinemas de Lux opened. It was demolished in April 2013.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
I used to be a projectionist at this theater in the early 80’s. It was sold to Loews Cinemas prior to being acquired by National Amusements. The theater was built as a 6-plex. Was expanded to 9 screens in 1979. Was never an 8 screen. Large theater; smallest auditorium held about 335, with the largest at nearly 800. Used to have projectors for 4 auditoriums on two platforms in the lobby. They were “walled in” in the mid 80’s. Kinda gave the place a unique atmosphere. Had to fight through Christmas crowds to get from platform to platform for reel changes!
Actual seating was nearly 4500. Had to help scrub them all with scrub brushes every June!
Cinema De Luxe has been sold to Rave Motion Pictures. Don’t know what affect that would have on anyone wanting to purchase the property. It looks as if National Amusements simply walked away from it. Soda dispensers are still in the concession stand. I wouldn’t be surprised if the projection equipment, outdated as it was, is still inside the building.
Sorta sounds cheap and tacky instead of “unique”,but what the heck,by that time theatre chains could have really cared less.
The projectors in the lobby was sort of a trademark with these Mid-States theatres in the mid-70’s. Smoking was permitted in lobbies then, and those projectors were true dust magnets. (The one in Columbus even ran 70mm from one of these lobby projectors.)I’m wondering how many of these open platform theatres there were? I know for certain of the Continent in Columbus, and I think one of the Dayton places had these, too. I’d love to hear from any ex-Mid-State folks if they are aware of any other open platform theatres.
Mid-States had a theater in Milford, OH that was called the “275-East.” If I recall correctly, it was a 4-plex and basically a duplicate of the center 4 houses at Florence. All four houses had the projectors in the lobby. Florence also ran a few 70mm on one of the lobby projectors. We had 2 projectors per house at the time but when they put in a platter system for the 70mm it was really tight. Thank God it was only temporary and I was skinny then.
I know they had several more with projectors in the lobby but I’m not sure where they were, though I believe one or two theaters in Louisville had lobby platforms. My cousin worked with me and did projector maintenance for Mid-States. I’ll check with him to see if he can pinpoint an others with lobby platforms.
really wild, learn something everyday.hope your Projectionist didn’t cuss as much as mine did,guess the kids would hear it!LOL.
Mid-States operated Beaver Valley Cinema 6 in Dayton suburb. Complex also had open lobby platform projector systems for the four center theaters. The two end auditoriums were the largest and at least one had 35/70 capability. A re-release of “Sleeping Beauty” was screened there in 70mm. The building still stands today and is in good shape. Has been operated as a discount house unsuccessfully at least twice. Regal and Rave are the dominant first-run operators in the area. DanBarry operates the two discount megaplexes in the area.
As of April 2013, this theater has been razed to make place for a new Kroger Marketplace.
December 22nd, 1976 grand opening ad in photo section.
Used to love going to this theater in the 80s and 90s. Used to go to the Ground Round next door either before or after the movie.