Opening ad posted as the Liberty on July 3, 1920 with Wm S. Hart if “The Tollgate” supported by “One Night in June” and “The Garage.” Frederick Mercy, Jr. gave the venue its first major facelift reopening for Junior Theaters (predecessor name of Mercy) as the “New” Liberty on September 9, 1927. That New Liberty update brought an Egyptian themed interior and upgraded presentations by replacing the DeLuxe Photoplayer instrument with a Wurlitzer organ. That reopening feature Mrs. A.G. Curran at the Wurlitzer console with Reginal Denny in “Out All Night.”
On October 13, 1929, the venue installed Vitagraph for souind films to remain viable. Edgar B. Mercy’s circuit rebranded as Mercy’s Roxy Theatre opening formally a day after a talent show on April 8, 1939 with “Torchy Blaine in Chinatown” and “The Mysterious Rider.” Final showtimes were “Skabenga” and “Black Jack Ketchum” on June 16, 1956. Merchant screenings and sporadic events continue through 1961.
Grand opening ad 21 November 1969 In photos with a double feature of “The Undefeated” and “TDYMITFM.” The facility was designed to go from a single screen to two in the original drawings. It would reach three screens and stop.
On December 13, 1986, SRO sold its 110 screen operation to Cineplex Odeon for $45 million. But the forthcoming megaplex era wiped out most of the twin and doubles. Act III acquired theaters from Cineplex Odeon in the Pacific Northwest in 1992 and this became an Act III venue.
They decided to build an 8-plex to replace the triple. It opened on Nov. 14, 1997 but Act III was convinced to keep the original three plex going in a surprise fourth act.
KKR took on Act III in 1998 that came under the Regal nameplate here. Regal declared bankruptcy in 2001 making it much easier to close out older twins, triples and quads. The last day here was September 30, 2001. “Summer Catch” and “American Outlaws” were the final two films shown that night.
After a soft launch in early July 2025, the Beach Theatre held its grand reopening on Friday, July 18 with itself starring in “A New Wave: Revival of the Beach Theatre,” a documentary about the venue.
Bonus ad: Joe Bonds owned three silent era theaters. (I bet you can guess what the other two were called.) The former Isis Theater became Joe Bonds Theatre #2 in 1915 and - at least - it didn’t burn down like its next moniker: Rex Theatre (#1). Rex Theatre #2 was placed right where the Joe Bonds 002 former venue once stood.
Final film screenings were on April 6, 1986 with Danielle and Rene Summers as “Stray Cats” and “All About Annette Haven as the City zoned it out of existence. In 1989, it was home to a house of worship.
The first showtime listed for the theater is in December 31, 1915 with “Seven Wonders of Tacoma.” The Park Theater closed in December 31, 1962 with Robert Preston as “The Music Man.” It was renamed as the Parkway Hall thereafter as a VFW fraternal hall and event center. Lasting well past its 100th anniversary, it is now The Tacoma Christian Center at Parkway Hall.
Closed April 23, 1957 with “Proud and Profane” and “Toy Tiger”. Voters approved of the 12th and 10th Street pedestrian escalator plan that allowed the City of Tacoma to condemn the theater property and a stationery store at 10th Street. The Blue Mouse was exterminated after a salvage sale in July of 1960.
The venue had Mighty Ducks, Under Siege and Passenger 57 playing separate admission shows on January 18, 1993. That turned out to be its last day. Prior to business on January 19, 1993, fire left just four walls ending the building and theater’s run.
Closed for films after three operators tried sound conversions in 1930, 1931 (with that ending in a gasoline doused fire that didn’t end the building) and a last try with RCA sound in 1932. It was vacated and later rented for proposed stage plays in 1938 that didn’t take place. Bottom line - not all silent venues could be used for sound purposes. Appears to be a sheet metal factory of some sort during World War II.
The Bonnell Building by J.E. Bonnell was built in 1908 and would be a mixed use retail hotel property for many years first containing the Hotel Winthrop and later the Hotel Stothart. The flight of retail and hotels from Tacoma’s central business districts to suburban motels, malls and strip centers was in full throttle in the late 1960s and 1970s leaving decreased needs for parking challenged hotel and retail locations.
The Bonnell building saw its Stothart Hotel and last retailer leave no longer pining for anymore nights on Broadway. A tragedy of sorts leading to many lonely nights. But a new idea got patrons to come on over to the Bonnell and it was the adult film mecca to be, the Mecca Theatre, which opened in August of 1971. Local officials wouldn’t even take a holiday in their pursuit of ridding the town of this filth. During a double feature in 1974 of “Deep Throat” and “The Devil in Miss Jones,” four cops and an official had seen one fanny too many ending the screening.
But the operator wouldn’t plead guilty. That turned out to be a heartbreaker for the City which saw the Mecca, which some saw as a house of shame, continue stayin’ alive for 23 years and two years on from that for a total of 25. The city slapped a one million dollar plus valuation on the building in 2006 with the aging owner thinking that was nothing more than jive talkin’. So he said “I surrender” and the building was bought by new interests hoping to stage live theatre.
They got at least one play staged with the play, “Doubt,” in 2010 but alas there was no night fever generated for the stage plays. There were words just prior to the property’s foreclosure that occurred the next year. A new owner found that the hotel rooms upstairs had been frozen in place since the 1960s and had an idea to convert those to condos. And the Bonnell Building is so happy now that it should be dancing.
The Guild Theater closed July 23, 1974 with The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe. The building was sold by the Guild to Neiman Glass Company’s owners Lou and Robert Braunschweig. They leveled the floor and made offices in the mezzanine to the tune of $10,000. It then became a location of Safelite auto glass.
A 1963 upgrade by United Theatres purportedly increased capacity to 1,000 cars. Closed September 7, 1986 with two horror hits, “The Fly” and “Fright Night.”
A 1963 upgrade by United Theatres purportedly increased capacity to 1,000 cars. Closed September 7, 1986 with two horror hits, “The Fly” and “Fright Night.”
This venue began as a grocer and drug store as part of the 1883-built Frederick T. Olds Block. Two operators seized the moment of nickelodeons opening here as the Lyric Theater in 1909. It was auctioned off in a dispute between the co-owners that same year. New owners came in likely serving out its five-year lease closing on August 29, 1914 with “The Million Dollar Mystery.” New operators resumed here as the Jewel Theatre on December 16, 1914 with “The Pawn of Fortune.” The venue was upgraded to be fireproof and less a nickelodeon - more a theater.
The Shell Theatre was another nickelodeon and had opened in the Satterlee Block next door at 1324 Pacific in 1910. It was a $40,000 new build, multi-use structure. J.S. Short and H.R. Berg probably got an offer they couldn’t refuse moving to the Olds Block in October of 1915 or simply bought out the Jewel to get the “more theater” and “less nickelodeon. Whatever the reason, the Shell was an amazing success. It was wired for sound to remain commercially viable. It appears to have served out both a 20-year and a 25-year leasing commitment.
The final operator of the Shell was Numa J. Brossoit operating it into 1960 with James J. Hoffner. It became the Cameo Theatre on March 2, 1962 with Joni Day in “Not Tonight Henry” and Diana Does in “Blonde Sinner.” The latter played 22 weeks in Seattle. Tacoma was more discerning with the film getting just a single week. The venue closed likely at the end of its 10-year leasing agreeing on December 5, 1981 with unknown, unrated XXX films. The building got through its 100th Anniversary but would not make it to #105 as the city cleared it for demolition which took place apparently in 1987.
I’d definitely go with retail, Lyric Theater, Jewel Theater, Shell Theater (#2), and Cameo Theatre at 1320 Pacific. 1324 would be Shell #1 although there is little need for that with this entry.
The Kay Street Theatre opened in the Hilltop neighborhood with Charles Cundiff at the organ console and he created the “Kay Street March,” an original melody for the event of March 29, 1924. Moore Amusement Company was the operator and the architect of the venue was George Trust with Leo Kellogg the opening day manager. Peterson & Dahl were the interior decorators.
A couple of notes in that it definitely opened and definitely closed as the Kay Street Theatre (not K) but was definitely the K Street for some stretches including the late silent era. New operator Louis J. Perunko made the necessary transition to sound on December 17, 1929 with “Movietone Follies of 1929” and would do so for his Sunset Theatre as well. And it definitely closed on February 5, 1956 with “The Desperate Hours” and “Land of Fury" as the Kay Street Theatre.
The Harbor Mall project had its first construction in 1982 and it was over at the Harbor Mall Cinemas opening later that year. The cinema waited and waited for the neighboring mall to open. And by 1997, folks were getting a little impatient for the Mall so a new plan was devised which included less of a mall and more of a strip shopping complex with a nine-screen megaplex to arrive by Christmas of 1997. UA was on board with the architectural plans for that venue. And that second plan sort did come to fruition just a bit late… more than ten years later.
As the new Uptown Gig Harbor was taking shape in 2007 in full construction, the Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 closed on January 10, 2008. The Uptown Gig Harbor Galaxy 10 megaplex opened two months later on March 7, 2008. And this time there were a bevy of other stores big and small surrounding the retail complex; it was sort of the way it was imagined 26 years earlier. And Galaxy did it right updating the facility to premium large screen formats and recliners across all auditoriums and moving from sheer quantity (2,160 seats) to a reduced but more comfy 960 seat cap. Better late than never! The theater survived the COVID-19 pandemic was still flourishing in the mid-2020s.
The development of the Gig Harbor Mall was rather unique in that the first building was none other than the Harbor Mall Cinemas. Martha Ludwig of Sacramento designed the three-plex - a conservative size even for 1982 - and the entire facility was designed (other than the theater) by Rue & Butler Architects of Tacoma. Theatre Development Corp. of Sacramento was the driver of the project. The triplex had three, 198-seat auditoriums for a total of 594 patrons at capacity.
Locals no longer had to ferry or bridge to a contemporary film as of Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1982 with the Harbor Mall Cinema opening with “Rocky III,” “Monsignor,” and “Annie” supported by “The Secret of NIMH.” On December 19, 1988, the cinema did the unthinkable changing names to the Harbor Cinemas - a move that might have befuddled Harbor Mall shoppers had there been a Harbor Mall. And this explains why cinema operators would have been hesitant in the mall era of being first kid on the block.
Apparently Theatre Development Corp. left after 15 years or was bought out by Regal early in 1997 becoming the Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 in March. They quickly analyzed the situation and an article boasted of a new 9-screen, 1,660 seat facility to be built imminently. (It wasn’t clear if the cinema might be inside or connected to the Harbor Mall that wasn’t there.) The article posted above explains how uncomfortable the venue was, how outdated it was and how “folksy” it was in the megaplex realm of comfy theaters.
The Harbor Mall and the new 9-plex developed at the same pace - not at all. So Regal simply kept the uncomfortable theater cooking along. In 2007, the project that was conceptually drawn up in 1982 essentially came to Gig Harbor as Uptown Gig Harbor that began construction. Galaxy was on board for the megaplex and Regal ran out the clock on the aged 3-plex limping to the end of the venue’s 25-year leasing period.
The Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 closed on January 10, 2008 with “I Am Legend,” “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep,” “National Treasure: Book of Legend (or Secrets).” The Uptown Gig Harbor project opened with the Galaxy Uptown Theatre there one-upping the unbuilt Regal plans by one screen opening as a 10-plex on March 7, 2008. The UA looks to have been demolished looking at the aerials and as it was sold as a lot in 2009 (but don’t take my word for that).
The Fife Drive-In closed on September 6, 1985 at the end of its lease and decided to go out in style bringing back “E.T.” supported in a triple-feature by “The Heavenly Kid” and “Cloak and Dagger” at just $5 a carload. It was offered for sale in the classifieds and torn down in late 1987 for the aforementioned apartment complex.
The South Hill Mall opens its interior mall on September 21, 1988 with a grand opening - theater-less - On May 12, 1989. In 1994, the Mall expanded and a year later it inked Act III Theatres of Portland to build an interior mall 6-plex. The mall directory listed the cinema in 1995 with its opening a full year later on August 30, 1996. At its opening, all six theaters of the Act III South Hill Mall 6 were THX certified - bold.
In October of 1998, ACT III was acquired by Regal Theatres (KKR) taking on the Regal Cinemas / Act III South Hill briefly in October 1989 and the Act III disappearing not long thereafter as the Regal South Hill Mall 6. Regal has slightly refined that to the Regal South Hill Mall Cinema. The venue scuffled during the COVID-19 pandemic closing March 16, 2020 along with most cinemas. It reopened on May 7, 2021.
The Hi-Ho Shopping Center had been proposed as purportedly the town’s first such retail center in 1960, held its ground breaking on August 19, 1961, and launched in 1962. The project sprawled to the west in two different expansions. A 1979 opening called, informally, the KMart Plaza provided an opening for a theater. The center inked Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres for a new multiplex in 1980 with Fred Meyer’s superstore/grocery chain taking on the Hi-Ho as Fred Meyer’s Hi-Ho Shopping Center.
The very long-gestating cinema project came to fruition on August 12, 1983 in a theater promising the finest quality stereo cinematic projection with maximum sized screens. The talk may not have matched the buzz but so it went for Mr. Moyer. Act III Theatres of Portland acquired the Luxury brand in 1989 with the venue taking the nameplate in 1990. In October of 1998, ACT III was acquired by Regal Theatres (KKR) taking on the Regal Cinemas / Act III Puyallup Cinemas 6 briefly in October 1989 and the Act III disappearing not long thereafter. “Hi-Ho” was dropped from the center the next year.
Regal appears to have closed there quietly on September 9, 2004 with “Anchorman,” “Dodgeball,” “Little Black Book,” “Garfield,” and “Day After Tomorrow” with all advertising and listings ceasing thereafter. The space has been retrofitted for other purposes including a saloon.
The Villa Plaza was announced in 1955 and - for a brief moment - became a lightning rod of controversy as the center was rethinking Tacoma’s and Pierce County’s retail landscape. Anchor tenants J. C. Penney’s, W.T. Grant and Woolworth’s saw the future as the venue opened theatre-lessly in August of 1957. In 1968, the Plaza was expanded and would include a twin-screen theater with a 1,000 seat auditorium and a 600 seat auditorium for a capacity of 1,600 patrons.
A July 1, 1969 benefit grand opening with “The April Fools” and “True Grit” launched the venue. The Lakewood Artists were the featured creators in the General Cinema art gallery - a staple of the 1960s and early 1970s GCC theaters. Another staple of many locations was the dreaded twinning of auditoriums where in late September, one auditorium was closed for remodeling. The result was a November 5, 1981 rebranding as the General Cinema Villa Plaza I-II-III.
The multiplex era made it challenging for aging single, twin and triple screen facilities to function. General Cinema opened the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas 8 on May 20, 1988 and decided to close the Villa 3. The Villa closed with Louie Anderson in the “Wrong Guys” and Joe Piscopo in “Dead Heat” on Screen I,“Biloxi Blues” and “Salsa” on Screen II, and “Jack’s Back” on Screen III.
Days later, a plan was unveiled that would knock down the cinema and its space would be part of the new $150 million Lakewood Mall at Villa Plaza which conceptualized a six-screen cinema for Cineplex Odeon targeting for a Thanksgiving 1989 launch. General Cinema would add the Gateway Center multiplex in February of 1989 and Cineplex Odeon’s Lakewood Mall 6 would debut on December 8, 1989.
The South Tacoma Village Shopping Center was conceptualized in 1971 with the center launching in April of 1972 with a Cinema at its center. Federal Way Cinema operators Marvin Pinkis and Steve McCoy were in charge at launch on February 21, 1973 with “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The New Centurions."
Twins were under pressure by multiplexes so they figured out how to add two more screens to the center in 1982. The Village Cinemas closed at the end of its lease with a double feature policy on April 30, 1992 with “Hand that Rocked the Cradle” with “Gladiator,” “Star Trek VI” with “The Addamms Family,” “The Medicine Man” and “Once Upon a Crime,” and nothing on the fourth screen.
Opening ad posted as the Liberty on July 3, 1920 with Wm S. Hart if “The Tollgate” supported by “One Night in June” and “The Garage.” Frederick Mercy, Jr. gave the venue its first major facelift reopening for Junior Theaters (predecessor name of Mercy) as the “New” Liberty on September 9, 1927. That New Liberty update brought an Egyptian themed interior and upgraded presentations by replacing the DeLuxe Photoplayer instrument with a Wurlitzer organ. That reopening feature Mrs. A.G. Curran at the Wurlitzer console with Reginal Denny in “Out All Night.”
On October 13, 1929, the venue installed Vitagraph for souind films to remain viable. Edgar B. Mercy’s circuit rebranded as Mercy’s Roxy Theatre opening formally a day after a talent show on April 8, 1939 with “Torchy Blaine in Chinatown” and “The Mysterious Rider.” Final showtimes were “Skabenga” and “Black Jack Ketchum” on June 16, 1956. Merchant screenings and sporadic events continue through 1961.
Grand opening ad 21 November 1969 In photos with a double feature of “The Undefeated” and “TDYMITFM.” The facility was designed to go from a single screen to two in the original drawings. It would reach three screens and stop.
On December 13, 1986, SRO sold its 110 screen operation to Cineplex Odeon for $45 million. But the forthcoming megaplex era wiped out most of the twin and doubles. Act III acquired theaters from Cineplex Odeon in the Pacific Northwest in 1992 and this became an Act III venue.
They decided to build an 8-plex to replace the triple. It opened on Nov. 14, 1997 but Act III was convinced to keep the original three plex going in a surprise fourth act.
KKR took on Act III in 1998 that came under the Regal nameplate here. Regal declared bankruptcy in 2001 making it much easier to close out older twins, triples and quads. The last day here was September 30, 2001. “Summer Catch” and “American Outlaws” were the final two films shown that night.
1800 seats at launch according to Carmike’s Columbus Georgia based architect Artech Design Group
After a soft launch in early July 2025, the Beach Theatre held its grand reopening on Friday, July 18 with itself starring in “A New Wave: Revival of the Beach Theatre,” a documentary about the venue.
Bonus ad: Joe Bonds owned three silent era theaters. (I bet you can guess what the other two were called.) The former Isis Theater became Joe Bonds Theatre #2 in 1915 and - at least - it didn’t burn down like its next moniker: Rex Theatre (#1). Rex Theatre #2 was placed right where the Joe Bonds 002 former venue once stood.
Final film screenings were on April 6, 1986 with Danielle and Rene Summers as “Stray Cats” and “All About Annette Haven as the City zoned it out of existence. In 1989, it was home to a house of worship.
The first showtime listed for the theater is in December 31, 1915 with “Seven Wonders of Tacoma.” The Park Theater closed in December 31, 1962 with Robert Preston as “The Music Man.” It was renamed as the Parkway Hall thereafter as a VFW fraternal hall and event center. Lasting well past its 100th anniversary, it is now The Tacoma Christian Center at Parkway Hall.
Closed April 23, 1957 with “Proud and Profane” and “Toy Tiger”. Voters approved of the 12th and 10th Street pedestrian escalator plan that allowed the City of Tacoma to condemn the theater property and a stationery store at 10th Street. The Blue Mouse was exterminated after a salvage sale in July of 1960.
The venue had Mighty Ducks, Under Siege and Passenger 57 playing separate admission shows on January 18, 1993. That turned out to be its last day. Prior to business on January 19, 1993, fire left just four walls ending the building and theater’s run.
Closed for films after three operators tried sound conversions in 1930, 1931 (with that ending in a gasoline doused fire that didn’t end the building) and a last try with RCA sound in 1932. It was vacated and later rented for proposed stage plays in 1938 that didn’t take place. Bottom line - not all silent venues could be used for sound purposes. Appears to be a sheet metal factory of some sort during World War II.
The Bonnell Building by J.E. Bonnell was built in 1908 and would be a mixed use retail hotel property for many years first containing the Hotel Winthrop and later the Hotel Stothart. The flight of retail and hotels from Tacoma’s central business districts to suburban motels, malls and strip centers was in full throttle in the late 1960s and 1970s leaving decreased needs for parking challenged hotel and retail locations.
The Bonnell building saw its Stothart Hotel and last retailer leave no longer pining for anymore nights on Broadway. A tragedy of sorts leading to many lonely nights. But a new idea got patrons to come on over to the Bonnell and it was the adult film mecca to be, the Mecca Theatre, which opened in August of 1971. Local officials wouldn’t even take a holiday in their pursuit of ridding the town of this filth. During a double feature in 1974 of “Deep Throat” and “The Devil in Miss Jones,” four cops and an official had seen one fanny too many ending the screening.
But the operator wouldn’t plead guilty. That turned out to be a heartbreaker for the City which saw the Mecca, which some saw as a house of shame, continue stayin’ alive for 23 years and two years on from that for a total of 25. The city slapped a one million dollar plus valuation on the building in 2006 with the aging owner thinking that was nothing more than jive talkin’. So he said “I surrender” and the building was bought by new interests hoping to stage live theatre.
They got at least one play staged with the play, “Doubt,” in 2010 but alas there was no night fever generated for the stage plays. There were words just prior to the property’s foreclosure that occurred the next year. A new owner found that the hotel rooms upstairs had been frozen in place since the 1960s and had an idea to convert those to condos. And the Bonnell Building is so happy now that it should be dancing.
The Guild Theater closed July 23, 1974 with The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe. The building was sold by the Guild to Neiman Glass Company’s owners Lou and Robert Braunschweig. They leveled the floor and made offices in the mezzanine to the tune of $10,000. It then became a location of Safelite auto glass.
A 1963 upgrade by United Theatres purportedly increased capacity to 1,000 cars. Closed September 7, 1986 with two horror hits, “The Fly” and “Fright Night.”
A 1963 upgrade by United Theatres purportedly increased capacity to 1,000 cars. Closed September 7, 1986 with two horror hits, “The Fly” and “Fright Night.”
This venue began as a grocer and drug store as part of the 1883-built Frederick T. Olds Block. Two operators seized the moment of nickelodeons opening here as the Lyric Theater in 1909. It was auctioned off in a dispute between the co-owners that same year. New owners came in likely serving out its five-year lease closing on August 29, 1914 with “The Million Dollar Mystery.” New operators resumed here as the Jewel Theatre on December 16, 1914 with “The Pawn of Fortune.” The venue was upgraded to be fireproof and less a nickelodeon - more a theater.
The Shell Theatre was another nickelodeon and had opened in the Satterlee Block next door at 1324 Pacific in 1910. It was a $40,000 new build, multi-use structure. J.S. Short and H.R. Berg probably got an offer they couldn’t refuse moving to the Olds Block in October of 1915 or simply bought out the Jewel to get the “more theater” and “less nickelodeon. Whatever the reason, the Shell was an amazing success. It was wired for sound to remain commercially viable. It appears to have served out both a 20-year and a 25-year leasing commitment.
The final operator of the Shell was Numa J. Brossoit operating it into 1960 with James J. Hoffner. It became the Cameo Theatre on March 2, 1962 with Joni Day in “Not Tonight Henry” and Diana Does in “Blonde Sinner.” The latter played 22 weeks in Seattle. Tacoma was more discerning with the film getting just a single week. The venue closed likely at the end of its 10-year leasing agreeing on December 5, 1981 with unknown, unrated XXX films. The building got through its 100th Anniversary but would not make it to #105 as the city cleared it for demolition which took place apparently in 1987.
I’d definitely go with retail, Lyric Theater, Jewel Theater, Shell Theater (#2), and Cameo Theatre at 1320 Pacific. 1324 would be Shell #1 although there is little need for that with this entry.
The 112th closed at the expiry of its 20 year leasing agreement with “Iron Eagle II” on November 17, 1988.
I forgot to put in the second line of the address which was: Unit 96 (in case you need to mail back a comment card).
The Kay Street Theatre opened in the Hilltop neighborhood with Charles Cundiff at the organ console and he created the “Kay Street March,” an original melody for the event of March 29, 1924. Moore Amusement Company was the operator and the architect of the venue was George Trust with Leo Kellogg the opening day manager. Peterson & Dahl were the interior decorators.
A couple of notes in that it definitely opened and definitely closed as the Kay Street Theatre (not K) but was definitely the K Street for some stretches including the late silent era. New operator Louis J. Perunko made the necessary transition to sound on December 17, 1929 with “Movietone Follies of 1929” and would do so for his Sunset Theatre as well. And it definitely closed on February 5, 1956 with “The Desperate Hours” and “Land of Fury" as the Kay Street Theatre.
The Harbor Mall project had its first construction in 1982 and it was over at the Harbor Mall Cinemas opening later that year. The cinema waited and waited for the neighboring mall to open. And by 1997, folks were getting a little impatient for the Mall so a new plan was devised which included less of a mall and more of a strip shopping complex with a nine-screen megaplex to arrive by Christmas of 1997. UA was on board with the architectural plans for that venue. And that second plan sort did come to fruition just a bit late… more than ten years later.
As the new Uptown Gig Harbor was taking shape in 2007 in full construction, the Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 closed on January 10, 2008. The Uptown Gig Harbor Galaxy 10 megaplex opened two months later on March 7, 2008. And this time there were a bevy of other stores big and small surrounding the retail complex; it was sort of the way it was imagined 26 years earlier. And Galaxy did it right updating the facility to premium large screen formats and recliners across all auditoriums and moving from sheer quantity (2,160 seats) to a reduced but more comfy 960 seat cap. Better late than never! The theater survived the COVID-19 pandemic was still flourishing in the mid-2020s.
The development of the Gig Harbor Mall was rather unique in that the first building was none other than the Harbor Mall Cinemas. Martha Ludwig of Sacramento designed the three-plex - a conservative size even for 1982 - and the entire facility was designed (other than the theater) by Rue & Butler Architects of Tacoma. Theatre Development Corp. of Sacramento was the driver of the project. The triplex had three, 198-seat auditoriums for a total of 594 patrons at capacity.
Locals no longer had to ferry or bridge to a contemporary film as of Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1982 with the Harbor Mall Cinema opening with “Rocky III,” “Monsignor,” and “Annie” supported by “The Secret of NIMH.” On December 19, 1988, the cinema did the unthinkable changing names to the Harbor Cinemas - a move that might have befuddled Harbor Mall shoppers had there been a Harbor Mall. And this explains why cinema operators would have been hesitant in the mall era of being first kid on the block.
Apparently Theatre Development Corp. left after 15 years or was bought out by Regal early in 1997 becoming the Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 in March. They quickly analyzed the situation and an article boasted of a new 9-screen, 1,660 seat facility to be built imminently. (It wasn’t clear if the cinema might be inside or connected to the Harbor Mall that wasn’t there.) The article posted above explains how uncomfortable the venue was, how outdated it was and how “folksy” it was in the megaplex realm of comfy theaters.
The Harbor Mall and the new 9-plex developed at the same pace - not at all. So Regal simply kept the uncomfortable theater cooking along. In 2007, the project that was conceptually drawn up in 1982 essentially came to Gig Harbor as Uptown Gig Harbor that began construction. Galaxy was on board for the megaplex and Regal ran out the clock on the aged 3-plex limping to the end of the venue’s 25-year leasing period.
The Regal Gig Harbor Cinemas 3 closed on January 10, 2008 with “I Am Legend,” “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep,” “National Treasure: Book of Legend (or Secrets).” The Uptown Gig Harbor project opened with the Galaxy Uptown Theatre there one-upping the unbuilt Regal plans by one screen opening as a 10-plex on March 7, 2008. The UA looks to have been demolished looking at the aerials and as it was sold as a lot in 2009 (but don’t take my word for that).
The Fife Drive-In closed on September 6, 1985 at the end of its lease and decided to go out in style bringing back “E.T.” supported in a triple-feature by “The Heavenly Kid” and “Cloak and Dagger” at just $5 a carload. It was offered for sale in the classifieds and torn down in late 1987 for the aforementioned apartment complex.
The South Hill Mall opens its interior mall on September 21, 1988 with a grand opening - theater-less - On May 12, 1989. In 1994, the Mall expanded and a year later it inked Act III Theatres of Portland to build an interior mall 6-plex. The mall directory listed the cinema in 1995 with its opening a full year later on August 30, 1996. At its opening, all six theaters of the Act III South Hill Mall 6 were THX certified - bold.
In October of 1998, ACT III was acquired by Regal Theatres (KKR) taking on the Regal Cinemas / Act III South Hill briefly in October 1989 and the Act III disappearing not long thereafter as the Regal South Hill Mall 6. Regal has slightly refined that to the Regal South Hill Mall Cinema. The venue scuffled during the COVID-19 pandemic closing March 16, 2020 along with most cinemas. It reopened on May 7, 2021.
The Hi-Ho Shopping Center had been proposed as purportedly the town’s first such retail center in 1960, held its ground breaking on August 19, 1961, and launched in 1962. The project sprawled to the west in two different expansions. A 1979 opening called, informally, the KMart Plaza provided an opening for a theater. The center inked Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres for a new multiplex in 1980 with Fred Meyer’s superstore/grocery chain taking on the Hi-Ho as Fred Meyer’s Hi-Ho Shopping Center.
The very long-gestating cinema project came to fruition on August 12, 1983 in a theater promising the finest quality stereo cinematic projection with maximum sized screens. The talk may not have matched the buzz but so it went for Mr. Moyer. Act III Theatres of Portland acquired the Luxury brand in 1989 with the venue taking the nameplate in 1990. In October of 1998, ACT III was acquired by Regal Theatres (KKR) taking on the Regal Cinemas / Act III Puyallup Cinemas 6 briefly in October 1989 and the Act III disappearing not long thereafter. “Hi-Ho” was dropped from the center the next year.
Regal appears to have closed there quietly on September 9, 2004 with “Anchorman,” “Dodgeball,” “Little Black Book,” “Garfield,” and “Day After Tomorrow” with all advertising and listings ceasing thereafter. The space has been retrofitted for other purposes including a saloon.
The Villa Plaza was announced in 1955 and - for a brief moment - became a lightning rod of controversy as the center was rethinking Tacoma’s and Pierce County’s retail landscape. Anchor tenants J. C. Penney’s, W.T. Grant and Woolworth’s saw the future as the venue opened theatre-lessly in August of 1957. In 1968, the Plaza was expanded and would include a twin-screen theater with a 1,000 seat auditorium and a 600 seat auditorium for a capacity of 1,600 patrons.
A July 1, 1969 benefit grand opening with “The April Fools” and “True Grit” launched the venue. The Lakewood Artists were the featured creators in the General Cinema art gallery - a staple of the 1960s and early 1970s GCC theaters. Another staple of many locations was the dreaded twinning of auditoriums where in late September, one auditorium was closed for remodeling. The result was a November 5, 1981 rebranding as the General Cinema Villa Plaza I-II-III.
The multiplex era made it challenging for aging single, twin and triple screen facilities to function. General Cinema opened the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas 8 on May 20, 1988 and decided to close the Villa 3. The Villa closed with Louie Anderson in the “Wrong Guys” and Joe Piscopo in “Dead Heat” on Screen I,“Biloxi Blues” and “Salsa” on Screen II, and “Jack’s Back” on Screen III.
Days later, a plan was unveiled that would knock down the cinema and its space would be part of the new $150 million Lakewood Mall at Villa Plaza which conceptualized a six-screen cinema for Cineplex Odeon targeting for a Thanksgiving 1989 launch. General Cinema would add the Gateway Center multiplex in February of 1989 and Cineplex Odeon’s Lakewood Mall 6 would debut on December 8, 1989.
The South Tacoma Village Shopping Center was conceptualized in 1971 with the center launching in April of 1972 with a Cinema at its center. Federal Way Cinema operators Marvin Pinkis and Steve McCoy were in charge at launch on February 21, 1973 with “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The New Centurions."
Twins were under pressure by multiplexes so they figured out how to add two more screens to the center in 1982. The Village Cinemas closed at the end of its lease with a double feature policy on April 30, 1992 with “Hand that Rocked the Cradle” with “Gladiator,” “Star Trek VI” with “The Addamms Family,” “The Medicine Man” and “Once Upon a Crime,” and nothing on the fourth screen.