Pembroke Cinema 1 & 2

The Pembroke Shopping Center was announced in 1966 and opened with Phase One in 1967. A land swap in 1969 allowed the Penbroke Shopping Center / Penbroke Plaza to expand and those plans brought a single-screen cinema to the complex. The Cinema Pembroke suburban luxury theatre offered comfortable seats, plenty of free parking, and current day projection equipment. It opened on August 7, 1970 with Jack Lemmon in “The Out of Towners”. The original operators scooted after the July 15, 1973 showings.

The Pembroke Cinema cam back with the operators of the Loring Hall Theatre two months later on September 15, 1973 by Arthur and Yvonne Chanler. They would take it through to their Patriot Cinemas' branded operation. They also reduced the Pembroke venue to a discount, sub-run $1 discount house. It split into a twin on January 21, 1975 as the Pembroke Cinema I & II.

Sack Cinemas announced a plan to build a 6-screen multiplex also on Route 139 in 1980 and the operators of the Pembroke, then Patriot Cinemas Inc., challenged the development. As the Pembroke Cinema was chugging toward its 20-year leasing expiry, Patriot Cinemas went to that same Council and asked to build a 1,600 seat, ten-screen megaplex behind the twin. They were denied in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The venue closed on August 9, 1990 with “Ghost Dad” and “Total Recall.” The space remained vacant before being recaptured for other purposes.

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.