Elmora Theater
144 Elmora Avenue,
Elizabeth,
NJ
07202
144 Elmora Avenue,
Elizabeth,
NJ
07202
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Aldon Theater Corp.
Functions: Furniture Showroom
Nearby Theaters
The Elmora Theater was operating prior to 1941. As of 1991, this theater was still open as a single screen theater but has since closed. It became a church, and since around 2007, it has been in use as a secondhand furniture showroom.
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
I am curious wbrozas, if you were a member of the old projectionists local 485 from union county? My dad was a member of the old local 379 in Perth Amboy for 55 years. ( He too has sadly passed away). I have many memories of the old State theatre in Woodbridge where he worked for years, until it closed in 1971. Perhaps you remember the Ritz in Elizabeth. It is being refurbished, and I am helping to restore the projection room. The other theatre you mention, the Liberty is being turned into a community center. Its too bad all the old timers like yourself are out of the business. This is exactly whats wrong with the movie theatres of today.
Yes movie534 I was a member of local 485 from union county. G. Cushing was the BA at the time that I joined. Local 485 would then move on to merge with 534, which you probably know this since 534 also includes the old Perth Amboy local. BTW, are you in 534?
I indeed remember the old Ritz theatre. I worked a few concerts there on spot (also at the old Regent Theatre on Broad Street). One of the concerts that I still remember was a Birds concert. I also used to fill in on some shifts in the projection room. I can still remember that old projection room and getting there through the balcony. When you restore that projection room, maybe we can do without that carbon gas coming back in when the window was open and the wind was blowing just right. LOL. Wow, I can just picture that place as I’m writing this reply. Sometimes I just miss the old business.
I took myself out of the business in the mid 80’s when automation and multiplex Theatre’s came into the picture. I knew the business was changing and it was time to leave. There was a lot of talk about Manager/Operators.
If you ever want to chat about any other stuff, maybe we can exchange email addresses.
Sorry it took so long to get back to the site wbrozas, but I was having internet problems. I do indeed remember old local 379, Perth Amboy, (my first local). Everything you left the business for came to pass, manager/operator and the alike. I currently work a multiplex out in Hillsborough N.J. and I hate it. And I’m only 49 years old, so you know I don’t share some of the memories that you do, or someone like my father (god rest his soul) had. I always said, I wish I was born sooner, so I could have had those great memories too. I’m new to this whole internet thing, so bear with me. I work a lot between projection and stage, so I don’t always have time to check my e-mail. But feel free to send along whatever you like to “” Take care.
I don’t think it’s a church anymore. The Google photo taken last year shows a furniture store, but also on the marquee is a for lease sign. Several businesses are currently advertised at this address. They may have carved out space inside the theater for these nail salons, tanning places and the rest.
Here is a 1974 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c6rdp6
Thanks for the photo Patsy.
I saw the movie SPIES here in the early 70s
I stopped in and took a look in October. There are stores lining the long corridor leading into the auditorium. The auditorium is intact but it seems like the seats have been removed. The auditorium doors are locked and it’s dark inside. There are several active stores within the corridor /mall area leading back to the theater section. The Elmora seating was on one floor only. The roof seems secure.
This theater was the last theater in Elizabeth to show current movies until the Jersey Gardens megaplex opened in 2001.
I added a few photos from today— January 2018. The arcade is still very much intact, and it looks like the salon on the left is using that exterior lobby for extra space. The shops on either side go back into the arcade quite a ways (if not all the way), and have doors both outside on the street and inside the arcade/outer lobby. I see the theatre doors at the back of the arcade, but the front doors were locked, so I couldn’t go in. Im going to be asking around to see if the theatre is still in tact.