Route 3 Cinema City

299 Chelmsford Street,
Chelmsford, MA 01824

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Route 3 Cinema City

This was a standard twin-screen theatre which opened on June 3, 1964. I went there frequently as a kid. It was converted into a triple screen theatre on January 5, 1967. Eventually it expanded to become an eight screen theatre.

It closed in mid-1998 when the Lowell Showcase was built nearby. It was slated to be demolished and replaced by a Stop & Shop Supermarket, but there were initially legal challenges to that. The theatre stood empty and deserted until it was demolished in February 2011.

Contributed by drvmusic

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on February 24, 2011 at 4:16 pm

This was demolished last Thursday to make way for a Stop & Shop supermarket. The Chelmsford Independent posted a short news article and a video.

chitchatjf
chitchatjf on July 23, 2011 at 4:29 pm

The theater stayed open till mid 1998,a few months after the Lowell Showcase opened. Even with a $3.50 bargain night,it could not compete despite showing many of the same films.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on November 10, 2011 at 8:35 am

Is the address given here correct? The Stop & Shop which is replacing the cinema has the address 299 Chelmsford Street … which, being an odd number, would be across the street from 308.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 12, 2013 at 8:07 am

This opened as a twin on June 3rd, 1964. The third screen (First 3-screen cinema in the USA) opened on January 25th, 1967. Both ads posted.

DavidP
DavidP on May 15, 2013 at 4:46 pm

Thanks for posting these movie ads from 1964 and 1967! This was the cinema I used to go to back in the 1970’s! I did not know it was once a 2-screen theatre. Do you have any other ads or photos?

chitchatjf
chitchatjf on September 28, 2014 at 12:50 pm

At its peak there were 8 screens

AllistairCookie
AllistairCookie on January 22, 2024 at 3:26 pm

I remember this place. I lived in nearby Andover. If I remember correctly, when you entered through the front, the lobby ran down the middle and entrances to each auditorium were on the left and ride side and I think the concessions were at the very end of the lobby. But I remember most was the floor of the lobby ran up at a slight incline, as if walking up a low grade ramp from the front doors toward the back. Or am I wrong about that?

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