I love coming across cute little cinemas like this.
First time I’ve seen what MarkNYLA in his July 21st, 2008 comment calls an example of “shotgun style theatre construction” still in operation. (Are there others?)
Reminds me some of the Monarch Theater in Chicago (that is now a car wash?!).
Another I find cute which is also old and still operating is the Fountain Theatre in Mesilla, New Mexico.
Does anyone else have their own cute favorites to share?
I emailed Blue Starlite using an address on the Austin location’s website asking about the status of the Miami location, if it had moved to Colorado, and pointing out it is still listed in the Miami Herald with no films scheduled.
They responded on May 15th: “We had a temp location in CO, but our main and home location is in Austin. Miami has been a satellite location. We do hope to get back there and open up again!”
So it sounds like the Miami location is closed until further notice.
Thanks Al. Do you remember the names of any of the groups or films societies? Or maybe the themes of the shows, like from a certain country or director, or something more unusual that I wouldn’t expect?
The Secret Celluloid Society has been around Miami for years, holding screenings at other venues before establishing the Nite Owl for itself.
I never attended a screening and have yet to visit the Nite Owl but I’m guessing “longest-running 35mm film screening series” means of any film appreciation type group that may have been holding screenings using 35mm around town over the years this one has lasted the longest.
Reminds me of Optic Nerve, that would quickly sell out before I ever had a chance to go, that had a screening as recently as 2013 (which I vaguely remember as possibly being the “final” one.)
Also Detonate Microcinema, that ran at least through 2001, that I remember being occasionally listed in the New Times movie times listings back in the 90’s (even though Detonate was a film series, not an operating theater) when a screening was held somewhere, often in bars and restaurants if I remember correctly, of some sort of “underground” film showcase.
I don’t know how often either of these used 35mm, so maybe Secret Celluloid is the “longest running” one that did and does.
These were not really full blown film festivals, but occasional probably one-night only screenings of film showcases in I assume rented or donated spaces.
Does anyone know of others I didn’t mention here?
Al, were there groups that put on film screenings when you lived in Miami? Would be interesting to hear about them.
Looks like this location reopened as Full Moon Cineplex on September 23, 2016 according to their “Us” page, screening horror and cult classics while serving food and beverage.
Apparently only one or two of the eight auditoriums are now used for screening films while some of the others are occupied by Lone Wolf Tattoo parlor and seasonally by a haunted house attraction called Slaughterhouse.
Last night I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Homestead Station, a new entertainment complex by ShowBiz Cinemas and transportation hub that will be built in downtown Homestead just south of the Seminole Cultural Arts Theatre at the corner of Mowery Drive and Krome Avenue, and will include a ten screen cinema.
Meanwhile the Seminole was alive and well with people arriving for a performance, under the neon lights of the good-looking vertical “Seminole” sign.
I saw that the building that housed the Fun Center Cinema seems to have been demolished and replaced by the new Hyundai dealership, or maybe one or two of the Bowling Center’s walls have been incorporated into the new building, I’m not sure.
I then attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Homestead Station, a new entertainment complex and transportation hub that will be built in downtown Homestead at the corner of Mowery Drive and Krome Avenue, and will include a new bowling alley and a multiplex cinema.
The exact spot where the Sunset Theatre once stood before demolition is now occupied by The Halal Guys restaurant, which opened in the still mostly empty large grey/white building in the last few days.
In recent months the old buildings that existed in the theatre’s day immediately to the south including Fox’s have been gutted and the outer walls will be filled with more restaurants from what I understand, with the vertical neon Fox’s sign remaining as a tribute.
I also remember for a time in the early 90’s one of the movie poster boxes had a poster-sized advertisement for new employees instead of a movie poster that showed some smiling young people dressed in AMC uniforms with the words “Now Hiring” above them like it was the title of a film.
I joked to myself, “Oh, it’s a movie about the end of the Recession”. :)
Wow, if each of the 259 cars really did have its own individual screen then this listing should read “259 screens” (though the drop down menu for screens on the new theater listing submissions page does not allow for more than 35).
Ha, the circular arrangement in the photo makes me wonder if this is the pad where the aliens had intended to land before they ended up crashing near Roswell. :)
which says The Screen will close on April 30th (but the place will remain intact for now in case it gets rescued again and reopened).
The article also says:
“The Screen, originally called the Screen at Studio 2, opened in December 1998 on the campus of what was then the College of Santa Fe. It was financed by New York City-based philanthropists Armand and Celeste Bartos. While The Screen showcased contemporary foreign and American-made art-house and independent films — as well as classic and cult films — for film lovers throughout the community, it also served as an educational venue for College of Santa Fe students.”
The Screen’s official website currently has a goodbye statement:
“Dear Patrons of The Screen:
The Screen will cease operations effective April 30, 2018. The Screen was operated by and founded at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, which is closing in May 2018. We are proud that The Screen has showcased world, art and independent films since its founding in 1999. In addition to showing films, The Screen also hosted lectures by film makers, cinematographers, actors, and directors. The Screen thanks all of the many patrons, guests and filmmakers for their support throughout our nearly 20-year run."
I visited North Beach yesterday. The Normandy is now Sola Salon Studios (as stated on the former cinema’s marquee), apparently a place where beauty salon practitioners can rent space to provide services to their clients.
The business on the corner next to what had been the Normandy’s entrance is now an active restaurant called Burgers & Shakes.
Funny, while walking down the sidewalk towards the building I thought of the footage taken from the angle at which I was approaching of people lining up to see “Star Wars” decades before in the Youtube video mentioned in aeterna’s August 1, 2017 comment. …. I crossed the street to look at the former Surf Theatre, then walked south again. As I reached the corner across from the Normandy a couple appeared from my right and the man was wearing a shirt with a depiction of Darth Vader’s mask.
Yes the former Surf Theatre is currently a souvenir, t-shirt and beach accessories store called Surf 7420.
Last night I sat in the Subway restaurant across the street like I did two years ago as mentioned in my previous comment and enjoyed what they’ve done to the front of the building: red neon lights around the perimeter of the marquee with the name “Surf” in the middle, small white lights that look like neon from afar underneath the marquee illuminating the entrance, and twinkling lights around the edges of the poster boxes.
The spirit of all this felt to me like they had made some effort to honor the building’s former life as a cinema.
Inside the fully renovated interior I did not notice any trace of the theatre but there’s a ton of items to look at in there and the environment was pleasant. (Look up the address on Google Maps for interior/daytime exterior photos.)
It now includes a movie memorabilia museum which the museum’s webpage says opened on May 15th, 2013. The newspaper article says historic tours of the theater are planned for later this month.
The article does not mention anything about it having had a grill and only calls it the Plaza Cinema. The museum may have replaced the grill as a photo in the article shows a “memorabilia museum” sign where a photo here on CT shows the “grill & cinema” sign to have been.
The article also claims it was called the Yale between being called the Bijou and the Crystal.
The ad in the photos section which is more legible in the link that Al Alvarez provides in his April 3, 2009 comment says the address is actually 24 SE First Avenue, not Street.
(I clicked on Al’s link, then zoomed in by pressing the CTRL and + keys on my laptop at the same time until I could read it.)
To me the Street View image for 25 SE First Avenue looks like it might have been a movie theater. (Look at earlier Street View images if the first one you see is blocked by a truck.) In 2017 it’s an empty store front but in April of 2014 and before it’s part of Miami International Sporting Goods, Inc. with sneaker company logos above the red awning.
Thank you to Cinema Treasures for merging the Fotosho page into this one for the State after I posted that I figured out the Fotosho became the State by comparing photos.
Thank you Joe Vogel. In my enthusiasm I had forgotten that Isidor Cohen mentions in his book that the Fotosho had originally been the Marco (as did a comment by Al Alvarez on the Fotosho’s former page).
Here is a link to the full text of the “Development of Miami’s Theaters” chapter on a page by itself.
The Miami-Dade Public Library also has physical copies of the book.
The address is correct but the Street View image is not.
In Street View look for a storefront that says “205 Digital Marketplace” under a blue awning.
In my opinion the building is not demolished.
To me the storefront and building look like they could be the same ones in this photo on the photos page with some cosmetic physical alterations, and the Street View image can be rotated to match the tall building that still exists behind the Florida Theatre in the photo.
Perhaps the building will then be altered and become unrecognizable compared to the historic photo, or it could be demolished with a new structure expanding into the empty lot where the Air Dome had once stood.
From the Greyhound bus I rode by on on June 11th, 2018, I could see this theatre is now the location of Captivating Dental Care.
I wonder how much of the interior is still an intact theatre.
I love coming across cute little cinemas like this.
First time I’ve seen what MarkNYLA in his July 21st, 2008 comment calls an example of “shotgun style theatre construction” still in operation. (Are there others?)
Reminds me some of the Monarch Theater in Chicago (that is now a car wash?!).
Another I find cute which is also old and still operating is the Fountain Theatre in Mesilla, New Mexico.
Does anyone else have their own cute favorites to share?
I emailed Blue Starlite using an address on the Austin location’s website asking about the status of the Miami location, if it had moved to Colorado, and pointing out it is still listed in the Miami Herald with no films scheduled.
They responded on May 15th: “We had a temp location in CO, but our main and home location is in Austin. Miami has been a satellite location. We do hope to get back there and open up again!”
So it sounds like the Miami location is closed until further notice.
Thanks Al. Do you remember the names of any of the groups or films societies? Or maybe the themes of the shows, like from a certain country or director, or something more unusual that I wouldn’t expect?
Al,
The Secret Celluloid Society has been around Miami for years, holding screenings at other venues before establishing the Nite Owl for itself.
I never attended a screening and have yet to visit the Nite Owl but I’m guessing “longest-running 35mm film screening series” means of any film appreciation type group that may have been holding screenings using 35mm around town over the years this one has lasted the longest.
Reminds me of Optic Nerve, that would quickly sell out before I ever had a chance to go, that had a screening as recently as 2013 (which I vaguely remember as possibly being the “final” one.)
Also Detonate Microcinema, that ran at least through 2001, that I remember being occasionally listed in the New Times movie times listings back in the 90’s (even though Detonate was a film series, not an operating theater) when a screening was held somewhere, often in bars and restaurants if I remember correctly, of some sort of “underground” film showcase.
I don’t know how often either of these used 35mm, so maybe Secret Celluloid is the “longest running” one that did and does.
These were not really full blown film festivals, but occasional probably one-night only screenings of film showcases in I assume rented or donated spaces.
Does anyone know of others I didn’t mention here?
Al, were there groups that put on film screenings when you lived in Miami? Would be interesting to hear about them.
Looks like this location reopened as Full Moon Cineplex on September 23, 2016 according to their “Us” page, screening horror and cult classics while serving food and beverage.
Apparently only one or two of the eight auditoriums are now used for screening films while some of the others are occupied by Lone Wolf Tattoo parlor and seasonally by a haunted house attraction called Slaughterhouse.
Tim McGrath, a survivor of the shooting, has made a film based on the experience, “Surviving Theater 9”:
https://www.survivingtheater9.com/
Last night I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Homestead Station, a new entertainment complex by ShowBiz Cinemas and transportation hub that will be built in downtown Homestead just south of the Seminole Cultural Arts Theatre at the corner of Mowery Drive and Krome Avenue, and will include a ten screen cinema.
Meanwhile the Seminole was alive and well with people arriving for a performance, under the neon lights of the good-looking vertical “Seminole” sign.
I visited Homestead on May 11th 2018.
I saw that the building that housed the Fun Center Cinema seems to have been demolished and replaced by the new Hyundai dealership, or maybe one or two of the Bowling Center’s walls have been incorporated into the new building, I’m not sure.
I then attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Homestead Station, a new entertainment complex and transportation hub that will be built in downtown Homestead at the corner of Mowery Drive and Krome Avenue, and will include a new bowling alley and a multiplex cinema.
Link to article from the May 7th, 2018 Herald-Dispatch newspaper about the Keith-Albee turning 90 years old.
I wish the photo linked to in Al Alvarez’s April 13th, 2009 comment with the vertical red “Theatre” sign could be in the “Photos” section.
The exact spot where the Sunset Theatre once stood before demolition is now occupied by The Halal Guys restaurant, which opened in the still mostly empty large grey/white building in the last few days.
In recent months the old buildings that existed in the theatre’s day immediately to the south including Fox’s have been gutted and the outer walls will be filled with more restaurants from what I understand, with the vertical neon Fox’s sign remaining as a tribute.
I also remember for a time in the early 90’s one of the movie poster boxes had a poster-sized advertisement for new employees instead of a movie poster that showed some smiling young people dressed in AMC uniforms with the words “Now Hiring” above them like it was the title of a film.
I joked to myself, “Oh, it’s a movie about the end of the Recession”. :)
Wow, if each of the 259 cars really did have its own individual screen then this listing should read “259 screens” (though the drop down menu for screens on the new theater listing submissions page does not allow for more than 35).
Ha, the circular arrangement in the photo makes me wonder if this is the pad where the aliens had intended to land before they ended up crashing near Roswell. :)
Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper article from April 19th, 2018:
“Finale Looms for Art-House Cinema The Screen”
which says The Screen will close on April 30th (but the place will remain intact for now in case it gets rescued again and reopened).
The article also says:
“The Screen, originally called the Screen at Studio 2, opened in December 1998 on the campus of what was then the College of Santa Fe. It was financed by New York City-based philanthropists Armand and Celeste Bartos. While The Screen showcased contemporary foreign and American-made art-house and independent films — as well as classic and cult films — for film lovers throughout the community, it also served as an educational venue for College of Santa Fe students.”
The Screen’s official website currently has a goodbye statement:
“Dear Patrons of The Screen:
The Screen will cease operations effective April 30, 2018. The Screen was operated by and founded at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, which is closing in May 2018. We are proud that The Screen has showcased world, art and independent films since its founding in 1999. In addition to showing films, The Screen also hosted lectures by film makers, cinematographers, actors, and directors. The Screen thanks all of the many patrons, guests and filmmakers for their support throughout our nearly 20-year run."
I visited North Beach yesterday. The Normandy is now Sola Salon Studios (as stated on the former cinema’s marquee), apparently a place where beauty salon practitioners can rent space to provide services to their clients.
The business on the corner next to what had been the Normandy’s entrance is now an active restaurant called Burgers & Shakes.
Funny, while walking down the sidewalk towards the building I thought of the footage taken from the angle at which I was approaching of people lining up to see “Star Wars” decades before in the Youtube video mentioned in aeterna’s August 1, 2017 comment. …. I crossed the street to look at the former Surf Theatre, then walked south again. As I reached the corner across from the Normandy a couple appeared from my right and the man was wearing a shirt with a depiction of Darth Vader’s mask.
Yes the former Surf Theatre is currently a souvenir, t-shirt and beach accessories store called Surf 7420.
Last night I sat in the Subway restaurant across the street like I did two years ago as mentioned in my previous comment and enjoyed what they’ve done to the front of the building: red neon lights around the perimeter of the marquee with the name “Surf” in the middle, small white lights that look like neon from afar underneath the marquee illuminating the entrance, and twinkling lights around the edges of the poster boxes.
The spirit of all this felt to me like they had made some effort to honor the building’s former life as a cinema.
Inside the fully renovated interior I did not notice any trace of the theatre but there’s a ton of items to look at in there and the environment was pleasant. (Look up the address on Google Maps for interior/daytime exterior photos.)
This article with interesting photos from the March 8th, 2018 print edition of the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper (posted on their website on March 6th) says this theater is now listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Oldest purpose-built cinema in operation”:
“Ottawa movie theater, owned by Lawrence businesswoman, now listed in the Guinness Book of World Records”
It now includes a movie memorabilia museum which the museum’s webpage says opened on May 15th, 2013. The newspaper article says historic tours of the theater are planned for later this month.
The article does not mention anything about it having had a grill and only calls it the Plaza Cinema. The museum may have replaced the grill as a photo in the article shows a “memorabilia museum” sign where a photo here on CT shows the “grill & cinema” sign to have been.
The article also claims it was called the Yale between being called the Bijou and the Crystal.
More history and videos on the Plaza’s news page.
Click here for a quick Youtube video of the Mayfair in 1957 from the Wolfson Archives. Click on “Show More” below the video and read the text.
The “Chinese Town of Locke” episode of the Travel Channel show “Ghost Adventures” claims the Star is haunted by the spirit of a Chinese opera singer.
Still I would like to visit during the day or try a restaurant after sundown. The town and its history looks really interesting.
The ad in the photos section which is more legible in the link that Al Alvarez provides in his April 3, 2009 comment says the address is actually 24 SE First Avenue, not Street.
(I clicked on Al’s link, then zoomed in by pressing the CTRL and + keys on my laptop at the same time until I could read it.)
To me the Street View image for 25 SE First Avenue looks like it might have been a movie theater. (Look at earlier Street View images if the first one you see is blocked by a truck.) In 2017 it’s an empty store front but in April of 2014 and before it’s part of Miami International Sporting Goods, Inc. with sneaker company logos above the red awning.
Thank you to Cinema Treasures for merging the Fotosho page into this one for the State after I posted that I figured out the Fotosho became the State by comparing photos.
Thank you Joe Vogel. In my enthusiasm I had forgotten that Isidor Cohen mentions in his book that the Fotosho had originally been the Marco (as did a comment by Al Alvarez on the Fotosho’s former page).
Here is a link to the full text of the “Development of Miami’s Theaters” chapter on a page by itself.
The Miami-Dade Public Library also has physical copies of the book.
Click here for someone’s Amazon listing for an original postcard of the Hippodrome.
The address is correct but the Street View image is not.
In Street View look for a storefront that says “205 Digital Marketplace” under a blue awning.
In my opinion the building is not demolished.
To me the storefront and building look like they could be the same ones in this photo on the photos page with some cosmetic physical alterations, and the Street View image can be rotated to match the tall building that still exists behind the Florida Theatre in the photo.
Macy’s has announced that its location shown in the historic photo, that first opened as the Burdine’s department store in 1898, will close in 2018:
Local news report video with the historic photo in accompanying article.
Miami Herald article.
Perhaps the building will then be altered and become unrecognizable compared to the historic photo, or it could be demolished with a new structure expanding into the empty lot where the Air Dome had once stood.