Value Cinema 7
508 Grand Avenue,
Des Moines,
IA
50309
508 Grand Avenue,
Des Moines,
IA
50309
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Carmike Cinemas, Excellence Theatres, Movie One Theatres Inc.
Functions: Grade School
Previous Names: Super Saver Cinemas
Nearby Theaters
The Super Saver Cinemas was an urban 7-plex which occupied space on the first floor of a commercial/office building at 508 Grand Avenue (actual legal address 500 Grand Avenue). It was opened June 26, 1987 and was operated by Movie One Theatres Inc.
It was taken over by Excellence Theatres on June 22, 1990 being renamed Value Cinema 7. In September 1991 it came under the management of Carmike Cinemas. It was closed on January 29, 1998.
Currently (2010) it is the Des Moines Public Schools Downtown School.
Contributed by
Edward Cook
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
AKA:
VALUE CINEMA 7.
June 24th, 1987 grand opening ad in photo section. It opened on the 26th.
I have fond memories of this place. I was homeless in Des Moines in the summer of 1996 and sometimes escaped the heat and the misery that surrounded me by watching a movie there. I even wrote about it in my book, The Homeless Man’s Journal. I saw The Phantom, Twister, Celtic Pride, and I believe DragonHeart there.
Movie One Theatres , Inc. of El Paso opened here as part of the Keck Garage and the downtown Skyway projects as the Super Saver 7 on June 26, 1987. A dollar, sub-run discount house at launch, it opened with “Lethal Weapon,” “Project X,” “NOES III,” “Extreme Prejudice,” “Creepshow 2,” and “Hot Resort.” The company suggested that such a project was a bad idea except in Des Moines because of the Skyway foot traffic. They were more than patient with this dog scampering away less than three years into the project on May 6, 1990.
Excellence Theatres of Chicago took on the venue coming in just in time for its third anniversary at rebirth as the Value Cinema 7 on June 22, 1990. In 1991, Carmike and Excellence created a joint operating agreement in February and, that same year, essentially buying out the Excellence side by September. This moved the lightly trafficked venue to Carmike ownership.
Carmike was beyond patient before closing up here on January 29, 1998. $1.7 million was sunk into the venue to convert for usage by the school district.