Suniland Triple

11941 South Dixie Highway,
Pinecrest, FL 33156

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: ABC Florida State Theatres, Plitt Theatres

Architects: Robert E. Collins

Functions: Retail

Previous Names: Suniland Theatre

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The Suniland Theatre was a single screen house which opened on June 25, 1964 with Jack Lemmon in “Good Neighbor Sam”. Later a completely new second screen, lobby and concession stand added. A further third screen was later carved out of the main theatre. It showed mostly Warner Brothers, United Artists and Disney product for most of it’s existence as ABC Florida State Theatres were prone to do in South Florida.

John Huddy, then movie critic for The Miami Herald, had a personal vendetta against the place and often trashed it while reviewing movies.

Contributed by Al Alvarez

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on February 9, 2009 at 2:58 pm

Write to me at

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 5, 2009 at 9:06 pm

The original single-screen Suniland Theatre was designed by architect Robert E. Collins, according to an item in the September 30, 1963, issue of Boxoffice Magazine which announced that construction had begun on the project.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on May 25, 2011 at 10:46 am

Rick Comer was manager June 3 1983.

rickcomer
rickcomer on July 25, 2011 at 12:18 pm

Yes I was at the Suniland in June of 1983. I actually started there in August of 1982. The theatre was playing AC/DC Let There Be Rock with the enhanced sound system, ET and we opened Fast Times At Ridgemont High my first week. We also were running “Shock Treatment” as a Miami area exclusive late show, what a dog. We were contracted to play it 12 weeks and by the third week we had maybe 10 people each night attend. Mike, do we know each other?

Ripshin
Ripshin on February 16, 2013 at 2:51 pm

I have no memory of this theater when I was a kid. I just Google mapped it, and see a strip center. I wonder if the shell is part of any of the buildings?

David_Schneider
David_Schneider on January 15, 2017 at 12:18 pm

What was the Suniland Triple is now a Best Buy.

A post from November 9th, 2007 on a “Remembering Old Miami” blog says “You grew up in Miami if you remember” followed by a list that includes “Sunniland (sic) Theater where the Oriental Rug place is now”.

If you look at the Best Buy from the 11941 South Dixie Highway angle on Google Street View on the Google Maps website then change the image to Nov 2007, an Azhar’s Oriental Rugs is where the Best Buy will later be.

Also what I remember back in the early 1990’s as being a blank marquee at the entrance to the parking lot by South Dixie Highway is the rug store’s sign on the left of the 2007 Street View image, then the Best Buy sign today.

I’ve seen a photo from the theater’s early days where it is a stand alone building with that marquee out by the highway, so the shopping center must have later been built on either side of it.

The theater’s address is correct based on old phone books but the address of the Best Buy is 11905 so the buildings may have been renumbered as businesses came and went.

The shopping center that the former theater was in is now on the western border of the Village of Pinecrest, which incorporated in 1996. This area was never part of the City of South Miami, which ends at SW 88th Street (Kendall Drive).

David_Schneider
David_Schneider on February 12, 2017 at 1:52 pm

Thank you for updating the city and Street View image.

Just for the record the theater’s original address was 11975 South Dixie Highway. The Best Buy that is now in the theater’s space is addressed at 11905.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 28, 2020 at 4:31 pm

The Suniland theatre was opened by Florida State Theatres on June 25th, 1964 with “Good Neighbor Sam”. Grand opening ad re-uploaded.

Suniland theatre openingSuniland theatre opening Thu, Jun 25, 1964 – 45 · The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida) · Newspapers.com

rivest266
rivest266 on February 15, 2020 at 1:28 pm

Three screens opening on June 6th, 1980. small ad uploaded.

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