Kress Cinemas

174 Kamehameha Avenue,
Hilo, HI 96720

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Regal Cinemas

Functions: Church

Styles: Art Deco, Neo-Vintage

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News About This Theater

Kress Cinemas

Opened in 1932, in downtown Hilo, the S.H. Kress Department Store was a longtime fixture on Kemehameha Avenue until it closed in the 1980’s. The store, notable for its beautiful Art Deco style multi-colored terra-cotta facade and its two-story tall “Kress” vertical sign, was converted into a movie theater in 1995, six years after downtown Hilo’s last movie house was shuttered.

The Wallace Theaters chain turned the upper two floors of the old department store into four auditoriums screening first-run and the ocassional art films. In April 2013 it was taken over by Regal. It was closed September 29, 2014 and was taken over by a church.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

mcone1
mcone1 on June 19, 2008 at 10:07 pm

I was the opening manager for this complex, and it really is a shame to see it in the condition it is in today. In its early days it was the largest complex on Big Island, and the only one with Digital Sound. It truly is a beautiful little theatre…wood floors, tin roof and all! It will be a real heart breaker when this one goes dark.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 5, 2014 at 10:50 am

Closed September 29th, 2014 for a church

Pacific Business News “The discount movie theater Regal Kress Cinemas 4 in Hilo has closed and its downtown space will be taken over by the Sure Foundation Hilo church.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/morning_call/2014/09/hilo-movie-theater-closes-church-to-take-over.html

rivest266
rivest266 on May 31, 2019 at 7:21 pm

This opened on December 8th, 1995. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

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