Har-Mar 11 Cinemas
2100 N. Snelling Avenue,
Roseville,
MN
55113
2100 N. Snelling Avenue,
Roseville,
MN
55113
6 people
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The Har-Mar is also the Twin Cities' first THX-certified theater.
Interesting that these theatres were GCC/Mann. A joint venture I assume. Was this the Mann Theatres of California or Mann Theatres of Minnesota?
If you zoom in the upper right corner of the grand opening ad, it says GCC Mann.
This opened on September 16th, 1970 and the largest auditorium split, opening on October 21st, 1977. The 8-screen extension opened on December 18th, 1981 and closed down in December 2006. The 1970 and 1981 grand opening ads can be found in the photo section for this cinema. The Har-Mar name came from the builders, HARold and MARy.
Found on Newspapers.com
Screen 1 was THX certified with 5.1 surround sound and it was simply one of the best rooms to experience a movie in the Twin Cities back in its day.
The original twin screen Har Mar was a luxury first run theater. The had a fabulous modern chandelier in the lobby, a supercool pod-like box office and a pair of enormous auditoriums. Number 1 was somewhat larger than Number 2. The twinning of one of the auditoriums was awkward and disappointing, creating a “shotgun” style boxy theater. It’s too bad that the Har Mar deteriorated over the years – it was a fine show palace in it’s day.
Opening was 9/16/70 with “On A Clear Day … ” and “Two Mules for Sister Sara”. The third screen debuted 10/19/77.
You can see some photos of the theatre exterior, interior and projection booth I took while I worked there at FilmTech
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There is no sign of the Har-Mar Theaters remaining. The front 3 theaters are now a Staples store, the back are just a big empty shell. History disappeared in a hurry here.
Although I never got around to seeing a movie there (which I sincerely regret) it’s sad to see a landmark torn down. I live a few blocks away, and when I saw it a few days ago it was completely gutted except for the big chandeliers. A few months ago I remember seeing (what I assume were) the big velvet curtains being thrown in the dumpster. Pretty sad.
The seating cap at the Har Mar 4-11 was 139-175. The smaller theatres were on the left hall. There was a trap door in cinema 8 that came out in the office but the carpet covered the door in the office and the door was behind the screen.
Finally posted some pics I took on the night the place closed. Unfortunately they shut everything down early and had already turned off the famous lights before I got there, but oh well…
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You should change the status to closed since this house has been closed since dec. 2006
I have a few Har Mar pics if you want them give me your e mail. I have a couple that show the chandeliers including one with the light off.
I also noticed that AMC threw all the seats in the dumpsters rather than selling them. It looks like they are determined to make sure no one gets them.
There have always been mice at Har Mar 11. It was usually worse in the back 8. One of the main reasons is it didn’t get cleaned right. The back theaters had a store room at the end of the row of theaters on the right that was just a big store room but at the end of that was another room with the incenarater. It was a mess back there most of the time.
There was a time when just the daily cleaning was poor. They didn’t even clean the equipment at the conc stand correctly if at all. I heard that as bad as it was that it got even worse after AMC took over.
Yes, my family and I will miss the old theater. It was not exactly beautiful in the classic sense but it did retain that 1970’s feel for it’s entire existence.
I will not forget the chandeliers in the lobby. They looked like a thousand cheap amber drinking tumblers somehow glued together and lighted. I never saw any “Venetian crystal chandeliers” in the last 25 years- I hope those weren’t them (“yikes” if they were).
Mike, if you do take time to photograph the theater, perhaps you could get inside a moment to snap the chandeliers. I see that there is some stripping out going on right now. Perhaps they’re still there.
The last movie we saw was “Syriana.” Not the best in my opinion. We were quite entertained by the obese mouse running up and down the aisle in the movie light. (Quite a “feast” to be had with all that popcorn on the floor.) It was not the first time we had encountered him there. A whispered mention to the manager the previous time gave us a set of free passes that my wife really didn’t want to use. But we did. The last time there we told the manager just for fun. He sighed and shook his head saying: “Yeah- we’ve tried everything. Traps, poison, everything. Nothing works. Oh well, a few more months and he’ll probably move out too. Wonder if he’s still there or if he’s hanging out at Cub Foods ;)
Oh,I see that there is no photo. I will try to take a couple this week and send them in.
Ugh. I did not know it was closing til I read this article.
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Hard to believe that this was closing down. Not hard to believe it was time, just hard when we lose a part of ourselves. This was the theatre I saw “Grease” with my mother 11 times. My Father never went to films, but we went and saw “Midway” along with a packed house. “Rocky” “Fatal Attraction” “Schindler’s List”. I saw a reissue of Rear Window and fell hopelessly in love with Grace Kelly.
The saddest part of taking my family there tonight for one last trip was how empty it was. Management was sending employees home, there was no one to serve. We saw Happy Feet (much better than I had expected) but only had about 20 people in the theatre that sat several hundred. Two families and a contingent from a group home. Maybe some folks behind us, but if they were there, they were gone bye the time we left. The 8 theatres behind the original 3 were nearly ghostlike as well.
Word from the merchants inside was that it definitely will not be replaced by a theatre.
I will miss it.
Well, our fears have become a reality. According to the Pioneer Press as of December 6, 2006 — the same paper that ran the story above — Har Mar Theaters will be closing after 36 years of business on Thursday, December 7 to make way for that new megaplex. Kind of sad to think about all the movies that have come and gone.
First show: 1pm show of “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever,” Sept. 18, 1970.
Last show: 9:50 show of “Stranger Than Fiction,” Dec. 7, 2006.
I’m sad
Screens won’t go dark despite new competition
AMC Theatres' 14-screen complex at Rosedale Center is supposed to start showing movies by mid-December, but that doesn’t necessarily mean “The End'‘ for the company’s 11-screen complex at Har Mar Mall.
"At this point in time, AMC Har Mar 3 and AMC Har Mar 8 will not be closing,’‘ company spokeswoman Melanie Bell said in an e-mail.
That’s despite Rosedale and Har-Mar shopping centers being within a mile and a half of each other.
Meanwhile, the Pioneer Press was unable to reach a spokesman at Regal Entertainment Group for comment on what the arrival of Rosedale’s AMC movie complex might mean for United Artists Pavilion Place 7, which is across the street from Rosedale Center.
Despite AMC’s plans to keep both complexes, some retail experts expect consolidation within the next two years.
"Eventually, we will see fewer theaters,’‘ predicted Dave Brennan, co-director of the Institute for Retailing Excellence at the University of St. Thomas.
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The PioneerPress today had a story about the 1981 tornado and mentioned the theater closing soon. I worked there in the early 90’s and will need to make a goodbye visit. Anyone know how soon the closing is? Thanks.
I meant Rosedale Center.
AMC looks to be building a new theatre at Roseville Center, thus closing the Har Mar 11.
Yea, the front ones are the ones with the history.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the close the Har Mar 4-11. There was a 100 year lease on the front one ( 1-3 ) in the mid ‘90’s but 4-11 only had about a 25 year lease which could be about to expire and maybe a year to year by now. I would hate to see the front one close but it won’t be a loss to close the back ones.
With a new AMC going into the brand new development at the Rosedale Mall less than one mile away, are there plans to kill the Har Mar Theater? I’m not big on Har Mar, but it would be sad to see a theater so old finally kicking the bucket if so.
The layout of the theaters are like that of the theater in Philadelphia because General Cinema had many location split like that but AMC prefers large units