The above listing is wrong . Republic took over the Middletown Cinemas way back around 2015 or 2017. NOT 2021! Danbarry last theatres closed in March 2020. Those were Chillicothe, Huber Heights and Miami Township.
Those were closed officially due to the pandemic, however they were all set to close in late 2020, pandemic just pushed up the date.
Republic Middletown did so poorly they only used 6-8 or the screens on any given weekend.
This theatre was prepared for closure in 2004 although it didn’t actually close until 2006. Chakeres was eliminating their discount houses. The Kettering and Urbana were the last two of
discount houses left in the then chain. The 15 year 1988 none compete agreement with National Amusements from their sale of some of Chakeres Dayton theatres had expired.Chakeres knew before the first night Kettering was back as a first run thestre it was only going to be for a few years. National Amusements had finally set a date for the long delay Greene 14 just up the street from Chakeres Kettering.
And the did okay in the beginning as a first run during the first few months. But no matter how well it was going to do, it was already set to close for the Greene 14.
As far as management in the 90s at this theatre. It was managed from 1988- 1999 by Bob Mills. He was moved from Dayton Mall Cinemas when Chakeres sold them. Mr. Mills is a legend. Staying as an usher for RKO in Cincinnati. Then at one
owning Cinema East on Watervilet, Cinema South on Far Hills, Washington Square Cinema, Cinema Centre 1 &2 and Colony Square in Lebanon.
He Washington Square and Cinema Centre both opened in 1975 and built by him. He was going after Chakeres South Dayton market.
However in 1979 he would sell Washington Square, Cinema Centre and Cinema South to Chakeres.
Colony Square went to an independent. About a decade prior Cinema East burned down.
After selling to Chakeres he spent 20 years as a manager before retiring for the company he once fought for market share.
Chakeres at the time in 1975 there was only Dayton Mall Cinema 1 (69) and the Dayton Mall Cinema 2 (72). Across from the mall Chakeres also had Southland 75 Twin Drive-In.
When Mr. Mills not far from the those Chakeres was adding two theatres to the area in 1975 Chakeres had to respond. There was no space at the time in 1975 within Dayton Mall to build additional theatres. Chakeres went next door and leased space inside Elder-
Beerman for Southtown 1 & 2.
Later Chakeres did add Dayton Mall 3&4 in October 79. In 1982 Litchfield built Centerville Cinemas 6
across from from Cinema Centre. Chakeres closed Cinema Centre in 1983 when the lease expired. In 1984
Dayton 5-8 opened
This theatre is owned by the Recency chain and continues to survive although it is struggling. Tropicana Cinemas and the Regenct chain never fully recovered from the Covid lockdown. Tropicana Cinemas sat silent much longer than most theatres did nationwide as Recency tried to figure out their next move was. Tropicana Cinemas like several other Recency locations was a discount theatre (sub-run). The sub-run industry died during the pandemic. The studios and the big theatre chains saw the shift in customer viewing. The movie industry nearly collapsed. Thus the grips on distribution was lightened by the studios and theatre chains. Theatres nationwide that survived were able to go first run. Theatres that had been sub-run for decades, some even built as sub-run theatres were now able to play day and day with the large chains.And finally when Tropicana Cinemas did reopen it did was now a first run theatre. However when Tropicana Cinemas which has always been a six screen cinema (in a sort of horseshoe shape design with theatre #1 starting on the left behind the concession stand going around to theatre # 6 in the front of the concession stand) would now only use 4 of the auditoriums.
And the theatre operates at at a super reduced schedule.
Hours of operation typically are :
Monday - Friday on 4pm and 7pm set.
The weekends are a 1pm, 4pm and 7pm set.
There is nothing after the 7pm other than The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unlike traditional RHPS showings whick start at midnight. When RHPS plays at Tropicana Cinemas it is at 9pm not midnight. The local RHPS cast had to revamp the time to fit in to the new Tropicana Cinemas schedule. There have been extremely rare occasions that if a movie is suppose to be a big blockbuster during opening weekend Tropicana Cinemas will run a 9pm of that movie on Saturday night if it is during a weekend that RHPS plays.
And even on those nights not all 4 auditoriums are in use, the other 2 auditoriums remain dark.
Tropicana Cinemas is about 2 - 3 run theatre. On even the biggest box office hits pulling patrons in at Tropicana Cinemas after the second week is a tough task, so usually it will be dropped on week 3.
The troubled theatre in now on it’s third owner in less than 7 years. The former Eclipse to the awfully named Art Houz it is now simply called Downtown Cinemas.
This theatre was actually opened up as a Magic Johnson Theatre. At the time Lowes managed the Magic Johnson Theatres. Then when Lowes was taken sold to AMC they managed the theatre. When Magic Johnson had AMC closed this theatre both Magic Johnson Theatres and AMC Theatres were sued by the mall. Then Magic Johnson counter sued the mall. The mall sued because the theatre was closing and not holding up to lease terms. Magic Johnson sued saying they had a right to close because in the lease term they held the right to close if occupancy at the mall fell below 50%. MJT said they actually let occupancy fall below 48%. In the end MJT found another company (Regal) to come as their Eastgate location was on a closure or sell off list. Regal thought this was an opportunity to actually add my screens to the market.
Showcase Cinemas Cincinnati Mills was closed by on 2/28/2010.
It was closed by National Amusements.
It was announced on 22/22/2009 that Rave
Motion Pictures had
purchased three National Amusements owned Cincinnati locations , that did not include the Showcase Cinemas Cincinnati Mills.
National Amusements
informed Rave that this under performing location would be closed on February as the lease was set to expire.
Rave did take control of the underperforming
Showcase Kings Island 12 .
The Kings Island was included as the the land was owned by National Amusements.
Rave took that property and immediately began to seek a new owner and use for it.
Kings Island later was closed and immediately redeveloped for a church.
The Showcase 10 Cincinnati Mills was located on the Mall’s upper level
near the entrance to the parking garage.
This theatre is not to be confused with the 8 screen theatre that was in the food court.
Chakeres brothers mural from the Regent now in photos section. I apologize in advance , as Harry Chakeres was somehow auto corrected to Henry. It is sad to see the marquee is now gone.
The State’s marquee seems to be holding up. At least their had been some up keep on it and uses since it’s closure. Regent sadly had just sat into ruins.
Louis Chakeres wouldn’t live to see the Chakeres Amusement Co. become the chain it once was as Chakeres Theatres.
Louis Chakeres would sadly passaway in his sleep two weeks before the grand opening of the State Theatre located one block behind The Regent.
Beautiful mural of Phil Chakeres painted in 2009 on back of the Regent.
Phil Chakeres and his two brothers came to America from
Greece opening Chakeres Lunchbox next to the Columbia Theatre in downtown Dayton, Ohio.
That lead to the opening of the Princess nickelodeon in downtown Springfield. Chakeres would go on to be one of the biggest chains in American into the 1980s.
Chakeres today only operates the Melody 49 Twin Drive-In located in Brookville,Ohio.
Here is a YouTube tour of the Middletown Cinemas 10:
https://youtu.be/dIXC0W6JQWA?si=iZ9rnX_uP4P0Pccn
The above listing is wrong . Republic took over the Middletown Cinemas way back around 2015 or 2017. NOT 2021! Danbarry last theatres closed in March 2020. Those were Chillicothe, Huber Heights and Miami Township. Those were closed officially due to the pandemic, however they were all set to close in late 2020, pandemic just pushed up the date.
Republic Middletown did so poorly they only used 6-8 or the screens on any given weekend.
This theatre was prepared for closure in 2004 although it didn’t actually close until 2006. Chakeres was eliminating their discount houses. The Kettering and Urbana were the last two of discount houses left in the then chain. The 15 year 1988 none compete agreement with National Amusements from their sale of some of Chakeres Dayton theatres had expired.Chakeres knew before the first night Kettering was back as a first run thestre it was only going to be for a few years. National Amusements had finally set a date for the long delay Greene 14 just up the street from Chakeres Kettering. And the did okay in the beginning as a first run during the first few months. But no matter how well it was going to do, it was already set to close for the Greene 14.
As far as management in the 90s at this theatre. It was managed from 1988- 1999 by Bob Mills. He was moved from Dayton Mall Cinemas when Chakeres sold them. Mr. Mills is a legend. Staying as an usher for RKO in Cincinnati. Then at one owning Cinema East on Watervilet, Cinema South on Far Hills, Washington Square Cinema, Cinema Centre 1 &2 and Colony Square in Lebanon.
He Washington Square and Cinema Centre both opened in 1975 and built by him. He was going after Chakeres South Dayton market.
However in 1979 he would sell Washington Square, Cinema Centre and Cinema South to Chakeres. Colony Square went to an independent. About a decade prior Cinema East burned down.
After selling to Chakeres he spent 20 years as a manager before retiring for the company he once fought for market share.
Chakeres at the time in 1975 there was only Dayton Mall Cinema 1 (69) and the Dayton Mall Cinema 2 (72). Across from the mall Chakeres also had Southland 75 Twin Drive-In.
When Mr. Mills not far from the those Chakeres was adding two theatres to the area in 1975 Chakeres had to respond. There was no space at the time in 1975 within Dayton Mall to build additional theatres. Chakeres went next door and leased space inside Elder- Beerman for Southtown 1 & 2.
Later Chakeres did add Dayton Mall 3&4 in October 79. In 1982 Litchfield built Centerville Cinemas 6 across from from Cinema Centre. Chakeres closed Cinema Centre in 1983 when the lease expired. In 1984 Dayton 5-8 opened
This theatre is owned by the Recency chain and continues to survive although it is struggling. Tropicana Cinemas and the Regenct chain never fully recovered from the Covid lockdown. Tropicana Cinemas sat silent much longer than most theatres did nationwide as Recency tried to figure out their next move was. Tropicana Cinemas like several other Recency locations was a discount theatre (sub-run). The sub-run industry died during the pandemic. The studios and the big theatre chains saw the shift in customer viewing. The movie industry nearly collapsed. Thus the grips on distribution was lightened by the studios and theatre chains. Theatres nationwide that survived were able to go first run. Theatres that had been sub-run for decades, some even built as sub-run theatres were now able to play day and day with the large chains.And finally when Tropicana Cinemas did reopen it did was now a first run theatre. However when Tropicana Cinemas which has always been a six screen cinema (in a sort of horseshoe shape design with theatre #1 starting on the left behind the concession stand going around to theatre # 6 in the front of the concession stand) would now only use 4 of the auditoriums.
And the theatre operates at at a super reduced schedule. Hours of operation typically are : Monday - Friday on 4pm and 7pm set. The weekends are a 1pm, 4pm and 7pm set.
There is nothing after the 7pm other than The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unlike traditional RHPS showings whick start at midnight. When RHPS plays at Tropicana Cinemas it is at 9pm not midnight. The local RHPS cast had to revamp the time to fit in to the new Tropicana Cinemas schedule. There have been extremely rare occasions that if a movie is suppose to be a big blockbuster during opening weekend Tropicana Cinemas will run a 9pm of that movie on Saturday night if it is during a weekend that RHPS plays.
And even on those nights not all 4 auditoriums are in use, the other 2 auditoriums remain dark.
Tropicana Cinemas is about 2 - 3 run theatre. On even the biggest box office hits pulling patrons in at Tropicana Cinemas after the second week is a tough task, so usually it will be dropped on week 3.
The troubled theatre in now on it’s third owner in less than 7 years. The former Eclipse to the awfully named Art Houz it is now simply called Downtown Cinemas.
This theatre was actually opened up as a Magic Johnson Theatre. At the time Lowes managed the Magic Johnson Theatres. Then when Lowes was taken sold to AMC they managed the theatre. When Magic Johnson had AMC closed this theatre both Magic Johnson Theatres and AMC Theatres were sued by the mall. Then Magic Johnson counter sued the mall. The mall sued because the theatre was closing and not holding up to lease terms. Magic Johnson sued saying they had a right to close because in the lease term they held the right to close if occupancy at the mall fell below 50%. MJT said they actually let occupancy fall below 48%. In the end MJT found another company (Regal) to come as their Eastgate location was on a closure or sell off list. Regal thought this was an opportunity to actually add my screens to the market.
Showcase Cinemas Cincinnati Mills was closed by on
2/28/2010.
It was closed by National Amusements.
It was announced on 22/22/2009 that Rave Motion Pictures had purchased three National Amusements owned Cincinnati locations , that did not include the Showcase Cinemas Cincinnati Mills.
National Amusements informed Rave that this under performing location would be closed on February as the lease was set to expire.
Rave did take control of the underperforming Showcase Kings Island 12 .
The Kings Island was included as the the land was owned by National Amusements.
Rave took that property and immediately began to seek a new owner and use for it.
Kings Island later was closed and immediately redeveloped for a church.
The Showcase 10 Cincinnati Mills was located on the Mall’s upper level near the entrance to the parking garage.
This theatre is not to be confused with the 8 screen theatre that was in the food
court.
The Beaver Valley Cinemas meeting her fate on 12/7/2015 , just weeks shy of her 38th birthday.
The above overview is incorrect. This theatre never opened as Page Cinemas Art Theatre , an awful name if I have ever heard one.
This theatre should be listed as Page Manor Twin Cinemas , the last name it operated under.
After the Page Manor Twin Cinemas was closed in 2006 it sat vacant.
In 2010 a “ group ” leased the theatre and began soliciting for funds referring to the theatre a Page Cinema Art Theatre.
There was never any new signage put with this new awful name for the place.
In 2011 after a year of suppose soliciting for funds , the theatre was still not opened.
The landlord and others who gave this “group” funding found out that money was being used for other’s personal gain.
As a criminal investigation began the theatre was later demolished.
There was a fire that destroyed about half of the Page Manor Shopping Center , but the theatre’s fate had nothing to do with that.
This is the Page Manor Twin Cinemas. The Page Cinema Art Theatre was never opened , it was a money scam.
This a more updated picture of the Cinemark Rave Huber Heights 16.
The Danbarry Dollar Saver Western Hills 12 was least successful of all the dollar saver locations.
This theatre was used as a test site by Danbarry.
They tested hours of operation operations and other ways of operation at Western Hills.
In in effort to salvage any life left in Western Hills the theatre briefly switched to a forest run policy.
As first Danbarry Western Hills did not get solid availability on movies
They were showed exclusively to Showcase Western Hills who was playing day to date with Danbarry.
When Danbarry Western Hills switched to a first run policy it was refered to as a suicide mission.
Three years after Covid , the theatre since returning back to normal operations only uses eight or nine of their ten screens.
Chakeres brothers mural from the Regent now in photos section. I apologize in advance , as Harry Chakeres was somehow auto corrected to Henry. It is sad to see the marquee is now gone.
The State’s marquee seems to be holding up. At least their had been some up keep on it and uses since it’s closure. Regent sadly had just sat into ruins.
Henry Chakeres mural behind the Regent Theatre.
Louis Chakeres wouldn’t live to see the Chakeres Amusement Co. become the chain it once was as Chakeres Theatres. Louis Chakeres would sadly passaway in his sleep two weeks before the grand opening of the State Theatre located one block behind The Regent.
Chakeres brothers mural behind Regret Theatre.
Beautiful mural of Phil Chakeres painted in 2009 on back of the Regent.
Phil Chakeres and his two brothers came to America from Greece opening Chakeres Lunchbox next to the Columbia Theatre in downtown Dayton, Ohio.
That lead to the opening of the Princess nickelodeon in downtown Springfield. Chakeres would go on to be one of the biggest chains in American into the 1980s.
Chakeres today only operates the Melody 49 Twin Drive-In located in Brookville,Ohio.
This theatre was opened as the Sapphire Cineplex 5:as a replacement for the Cinema which nearby was also owned by John Grey who opened this theatre
This theatre and the Morenci was sold to Hollis Cinemas.
Hollis has since sold them to Allen Theatres.