What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about?

[Mike Rivest]

Opened on December 19th, 1969.

Cinema Corte Madera 1969 12 19.JPG

[Geoff Jones]

The closing of the Corte Madera Cinema is another terrible loss. That was a truly great theater, with a giant immersive screen, enveloping sound, terrific sight-lines, and fantastic presentations.

Over the 8 years I worked for LucasArts, I attended dozens of LFL company screenings at the Cinema, usually at 8 or 9 am on Saturday or Sunday, before the theater opened. All of them were spectacular experiences. Terry is correct: it's one of, if not the best cinemas in the Bay Area.

Sadness


Cinemark jettisons Corte Madera movie theater

Marin County moviegoers will have one less venue when health authorities allow theaters to reopen.

Cinemark announced that its Corte Madera theater is permanently closed. The Texas-based theater chain say the move is not related to a loss of revenue from the coronavirus outbreak.

The company said it had reached the end of its lease at the Tamal Vista Boulevard site and the closure is “normal course of business” from its ongoing review of its operations.

The property is owned by Scandinavian Design. Cinemark operated it as a theater until the county imposed coronavirus restrictions on businesses in mid-March.

Scandinavian Design had plans to redevelop the site, but Corte Madera’s planning department has not communicated with the home furnishings company since 2017.

“It’s so sad, man,” said Dan Zastrow, general manager for the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. “I’ve seen many movies there, but the writing has been on the wall.

“That was the place to go see ‘Star Wars’ when it opened. That’s where I went and I hear that’s where George Lucas would bring his staff for early screenings because it fit 600 or 700 on just one screen.”

The only other single-screen theater left in Marin is the Lark, which Zastrow said is a much more intimate venue.

Ellie Mednick, executive director of the Lark, said the theater in Corte Madera has been a fixture of the Marin film community for decades.

“As a theater manager as well as a citizen of the county for over 50 years, I will miss it,” Mednick said. “We loved that Cinemark. We don’t figure other theaters as competition for us. They enhanced our movie going experience and for the general public. The loss of any theater in our community is loss for all of us.”

She said the theater industry in Marin is changing because of the coronavirus restrictions. The Lark, on top of providing online movie streaming subscriptions, recently partnered with the Bon Air Center in Greenbrae to host drive-in movie nights in the parking lot.

Mednick said the Lark, on Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, plans to reopen in late August. Meanwhile, it’s finding other ways to bring in revenue, such as a “drive-in operation.”

“I can’t reveal details, but we are looking at lots in Central Marin,” she said. “It looks very promising. We hope that will sustain us, and if the Bon Air ticket sales are any indication, we’ll be in good shape. They sold out in 29 minutes.”

She added that the Lark has only furloughed three part-time workers, while being able to retain six full-time employees through a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan. But the money will run out at the end of the month.

Like the Lark, the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center tends to screen classic, foreign or independent films, Zastrow said. It plans to reopen its three theaters in August. Meanwhile, it is also offering subscriptions to stream movies online.

“We serve a different clientele base than Cinemark,” Zastrow said. “Mainly for folks who are looking for something other than a thrill ride or superhero film. But for folks on both sides of the cinema business, it’s rocky times right now.”

He said the safety protocols for staff and customers will change the cinema experience. These include limiting screening rooms to only 25% capacity; 6 feet of separation between viewers; reserved seating; one-way traffic in and out of rooms; increased disinfection of high-touch areas; barriers at concession stands; masks and gloves for employees; and mask requirements for customers.

The biggest challenge will be the capacity limits, Zastrow said.

“It comes down to the size of your space. How big is your lobby?” he said. “The Lark has a small lobby that goes into their single-screen auditorium. A single-screen theater like that, that’s going to be tough.

“There are two parts to the state mandate: 25% capacity or a max of 100 folks in a theater. So you’re obviously going to max out at 100. At that point you’re not generating enough money to even pay staff, so it gets really difficult.”

Marin plans to allow customers back into theaters as part of Phase 2i, according to the county’s reopening plan. The county is entering Phase 2h starting Monday, although it has pared the plan back because of rising coronavirus cases.

Cinemark representatives said when it is allowed to welcome back patrons, it will follow strict sanitation, personal protective equipment and social distancing guidelines. Cinemark locations in Marin include: Northgate and Century Regency in San Rafael, Rowland Plaza in Novato, Century Larkspur and CineArts Sequoia in Mill Valley.

Other theaters in Marin include the Tiburon Playhouse and the Fairfax Theatre.

[Terry Monohan]

The Century/Cinemark Corte Madera Cinema Theatre in Marin County CA will not be opening again. A former deluxe Blumenfeld Theatre then run by Pacific/Cinerama® Theatres and lastly Century/Cinemark they will not renew the lease. The was one of the best movie theatres in the SF Bay Area.

With a huge curved 70mm type screen with curtains and great stereo sound when It was new. Pacific took it over and later Century they cut down on the size of the screen for video DCP and never fixed the curtains.

The popular movie theatre was never twined and had great parking. The lot It sits on was to be a furniture store but this has never happened.

Let's hope some creative entertainment company will buy or take over the lease for future Marin $$ county movie lovers to see what a large cinema looks like.

[Geoff Jones]

The Real to Real theater in Johnson City, TN is closing.

It wasn't anything special as theaters go, with small screens and center aisles, but I have a lot of memories from that place.

Two that stand out are both from the last few months of 1984, when I was 13.

• I walked home a mile and a half at dusk after watching A Nightmare on Elm Street by myself. Movies rarely scare me, but I was feeling pretty creeped out and made record time.
• I remember standing in line at a haunted house in the same shopping center with a friend after coming out of The Terminator. We were blown away, and both trying to wrap our heads around what we'd just seen.

https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Bus...tream&lp=9&p=1

Johnson City’s Real to Reel Theater is permanently closing.

“The family owned and operated company has proudly served our city and the surrounding areas since 1982,” Peerless Properties & Development said in a press release Friday, “and we thank them for wonderful service and entertainment.”

Peerless Properties & Development said it plans to begin revitalization efforts on the building immediately.

[Mike Rivest]

Mahoning Valley Cinema opened on December 15th, 1995

[Mitchell Dvoskin]

Good riddance to the Clairidge. The auditorium that I saw A Hidden Life in last December was the most unpleasant room I have ever had the misfortune to see a movie in. I felt cheated and will never set foot in a Bow Tie Cinema again, ever.

Back around 1980 the then private owner of the Clairidge Theatre offered to give me the Cinerama Projectors if I would haul them away. Unfortunately I was living in a small apartment at the time so I did not take them. I don’t know what eventually happened to them.

[Ronda Love]

https://www.tnonline.com/20200421/ma...t-wont-reopen/
Mahoning Valley Cinema, PA

[Mark Ogden]

Bow Tie Cinemas will not reopen the following New Jersey theaters and has removed them from their website: the Clairidge Cinema, Montclair; the Red Bank Cinema, Red Bank; the Tenafly Cinema, Tenafly; and the Cinema 100 in White Plains, New York. The Clairidge was pretty much northern New Jersey's only art/alternative location, a five screen site built inside a former Cinerama house. Although the placement of the individual screens was awkward to say the least, they had good programming. I was a frequent guest and will miss it.

Also, my report of the closing of the AMC Wayne 14 on the previous page was premature, it turns out a final decision hasn't been made about it.

[Martin McCaffery]

Bantam Theatre, Litchfield, CT. "Connecticut's oldest continuously operated movie house."
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/115-...d-CT/16503136/

[Ronda Love]

Maybe this counts as a temporary open? Should popups go here?
https://www.wisn.com/article/parking...hjZbO7SHvwFaYw

[Geoff Jones]

Seattle Cinerama has changed their message from "Closed for Renovations" to:

The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many businesses, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events.

Due to this, we've stopped our renovation efforts of Cinerama and plan to stay closed for the foreseeable future.

This one hurts.

Maybe Amazon will buy it...

[Mike Rivest]

Grand opening ads for recently closed cinemas, Epicentre from December 12th, 2008, Manor April 11th, 1947 Epicentre 2008 12 12.jpgConsolidated Manor 1947 04 11.jpg

[Scott Jentsch]

The AMC Wayne 14 in Wayne, New Jersey will not reopen.

Mark, do you know of any news coverage or announcements of this? I couldn't find anything, and I like to reference other sources when I write "closing" articles so people have additional context.

[Martin McCaffery]

Regal Manor Theatre, oldest operating theatre in Charlotte, NC will not reopen.
https://www.wbtv.com/2020/05/20/char...outputType=amp

Charlotte’s oldest movie theater and last art house is closing for good amid COVID

Charlotte’s oldest movie theater Regal Manor Twin on Providence Road is closing following years of rumors and speculation. (Source: GOOGLE EARTH)
By Catherine Muccigrosso | May 20, 2020 at 6:12 PM EDT - Updated May 20 at 6:12 PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Charlotte Observer) - Charlotte’s oldest movie theater will not reopen following the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Following years of speculation, it’s official: Regal Manor Twin on Providence Road is officially closing. The 73-year-old theater opened in 1947 and also is Charlotte’s last full-time art house.

“We truly appreciate the loyal patronage at the Manor Twin and our partnership with Eastern Federal over the years. Our staff worked hard to provide a quality entertainment venue serving Charlotte moviegoers with art and independent film,” said Richard Grover, vice president of communications for Regal.

“With the closing of this location, we will continue to offer art and independent film at our other Regal theaters in the Charlotte area.”

The shopping center is owned by Eastern Federal Corp., according to the real estate management and investment company’s website. The company sold its 21 theaters and 230-screen division in 2005 to Regal after 70 years, the site sates.

A LONG LEGACY

EFC, based in Charlotte, has commercial and residential real estate properties in North Carolina and Florida.

“EFC is proud to have been a part of the long legacy of the Manor theater, first as operators and more recently as landlord,” said Josh Page, COO at Eastern Federal. “As owners of the property for over 75 years, we are going to carefully consider our alternatives and be very mindful of the importance of this property to Charlotte.”

Manor Shops lists no availability for the more than 28,000-square-foot center that includes Panera Bread, according to Thrift Commercial Real Estate Services website.

In February, Regal Ballantyne Village closed. Jonathan Gould with Stonemar Properties of New York, which owns and manages the center, said in January that the decision to close was mutual with Regal. The roughly 50,000-square-foot space on two floors is now office space.

Regal has four other theaters in Charlotte theaters and several others in the region.

Regal abruptly closed Park Terrace, also known for showing independent and foreign films, three years ago. The Park Road theater was the second oldest in Charlotte, opening in 1964.

AMC bought that theater, renovated it and re-opened last year showing mainstream movies on six screens.

OTHER THEATER CLOSINGS

Just as it looked like Charlotte was expanding with more movie theaters, another one closed.

Studio Movie Grill, a movie theater with full-service dining, opened its second Charlotte location at 5336 Docia Crossing Road in December. It has 10 screens and 1,022 luxury recliners.

However, it the Texas-based chain then closed its original Charlotte location in Epicentre on March 2.

[Mark Ogden]

The AMC Wayne 14 in Wayne, New Jersey will not reopen. The theatre started life in December 1982 as a 70mm equipped Loews six-plex. It was expanded by two screens in 1989 and by six screens in 1997. They just did an extensive renovation last year, with older auditoriums getting the stadium treatment with recliners, largely as a reaction to the new Cinemark 12 screen theatre that opened less than one-half mile away. Like AMC theaters in general, the place had pretty much gone to hell, but it also had a troubled history of rough crowds and violence, and probably the single most flood-prone parking lot I've ever seen.