From Nickelodeons to Megaplexes: A History of University Mall Movie Theaters

The history of university mall movie theaters is a rich tapestry woven with threads of innovation, ambition, and adaptation. From the early days of nickelodeons to the rise of multiplexes and the challenges posed by the digital age, these theaters have reflected and shaped the cultural landscape of their communities.

The Dawn of Entertainment Districts

In the years following World War I, a real estate broker named Joseph Laronge envisioned transforming a section of downtown Cleveland into a vibrant entertainment district. This district would boast fine shops, restaurants, and numerous theaters. Laronge is now recognized as the father of Playhouse Square.

The Upper and Lower Mall Theaters: An Innovative Duplex

Among these theaters were the Upper and Lower Mall, an innovative two-story duplex theater located between Euclid and Superior Avenues. The theaters were named for the Mall, the civic plaza and grouped public buildings across Superior. According to a 1932 article in The Plain Dealer, the idea for the Upper and Lower Mall was conceived in 1914 after a lawyer, Fred Desberg, became involved in the entertainment business through one of his clients, Mark Greenbaum, who owned a theater on the East Side. Greenbaum was presented with the opportunity to take over the Alhambra Theater, also located on Euclid Avenue, and invited Fred Desburg, along with one Ed P. Strong, to be partners in this decision. A few years later, the Mall Theaters were built, and Joseph Laronge was brought on as a financial connection.

Laronge and Loew: A Powerful Partnership

Laronge’s vision for Euclid Avenue could only be realized with the help of his partner, Marcus Loew. Loew, after overcoming serious financial struggles in the 1880s, had begun to make a name for himself in the theater scene, opening several nickelodeons in New York and Cincinnati by 1903. In 1904, Loew and Joseph Laronge spearheaded the construction of the Upper and Lower Mall Theaters in 1916, located at 310 Superior Avenue but later using the address 303 Euclid Avenue.

Architectural Innovation

Designed by Edward Richardson and Arthur Yost, the layout of these auditoriums was quite clever, with one situated directly above the other. They occupied what had previously been a large section of empty space between Euclid and Superior Avenues. Due to a change in elevation between the two streets (approximately eleven feet), entering on the Euclid side would take patrons to the Upper Mall, and the Superior side to the Lower. The lower auditorium seated 600 and included a small passageway to function as the theaters’ lobby. A stairway could be taken to the upper auditorium, which seated 750 and included a balcony.

The Multiplex Debate

The unique design of the theaters was new to Cleveland, but whether or not the Mall was the nation’s first multiplex theater has been a point of contention. In 1921, The Plain Dealer published an article boldly referring to the Mall as the only duplex theater in the world. However, Detroit boasted its own Duplex Theater as the first ever built in the US, which is recorded to have opened in 1915, a year before the Mall Theaters' completion. The Detroit theater featured two side-by-side auditoriums, but despite its novelty closed in 1922 after a seven-year run. Even closer to home, though, was the Oxford Theater on Ontario Street, which opened in either 1912 or 1913. The Oxford was essentially one large auditorium split in half by a fireproof curtain, with a screen on each side. It is possible that the Oxford Theater was responsible for introducing the duplex theater concept not only to Cleveland, but to the entire country. However, neither the Detroit Duplex Theater nor the Oxford utilized the double-decker architectural design of the Upper and Lower Mall.

A Thriving Entertainment Hub

Following impressive changes to the theater district in downtown Cleveland during the 1910s and ’20s, The Mall Theaters were within walking distance of several shops and restaurants, meaning that one could enjoy a meal or shopping trip before seeing a film. According to a map included in Eric Johanessen’s From Town to Tower, the Upper Mall shared a block with Rosenblum’s clothing store in the 1920s, next door on Euclid Avenue. The store was opened in 1910 by Cleveland native Max Rosenblum, and was associated with a luxury atmosphere and easy credit for its customers. On the Superior side of the theaters stood Weber’s Restaurant, a popular eatery known especially for its decor at the time. The three-story establishment is recorded as having oak-paneled interior and charming stained-glass windows.

The End of an Era

Both of the Mall Theaters were closed on August 31, 1960. The last movies to be shown in the Lower Mall were The Naked Road and The Prime Time, and the Upper Mall concluded its life of film with Man on a String and The Young Land. The Upper Mall would be replaced by nearly ten thousand square feet of office space, to be used for the Women’s Federal Savings and Loan Office, and the Lower Mall would be converted into a parking garage for the Sohio headquarters building.

Marcus Loew's Legacy

As for Marcus Loew, his chain of theaters proved to be one of the most successful in the country (and perhaps the world) at the time, owning movie houses across 23 states, as well as in Canada, England, and Chile. However, his theaters amounted to only a fraction of his success. In April 1924, Loew founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, which dominated the film industry from 1924 to 1954. Until 1948, film studios had complete ownership over the distribution of their films, meaning that MGM’s films ran almost exclusively in Loew’s own theaters. This period marked incredible wealth for Marcus Loew. He was associated with MGM until 1959, when he left the company due to the long lasting effects of United States v. Supreme Court.

Rebirth and Transformation

After briefly closing during the Great Depression, the Mall Theaters were reopened in 1936 under new ownership, a company by the name of Arcade Theater Co. in the community circuit. The name on the marquee was changed from "Loew's Mall" to "New Mall."

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

The University District: A Hub of Cinematic Activity

The first motion picture shown in the University District was probably in the summer of 1910. Area amusement parks, Indianola Park and Olentangy Park, both exhibited films that summer. Indianola showed films outdoors at dusk on a canvas stretched between two trees. Olentangy showed movies in its vaudeville theater. Another claimant is the backyard of 312 E. 17th Ave., the headquarters of the Heber Brothers Circus.

Early Movie Houses

The very first motion picture establishment in the University District seems to have been The Photo Play (1911-20) at 1597 N. High. It opened in late February 1911. The Crystal Theater (1911-20) at 2573 N. High Street, just north of Hudson, also opened that year. Other university area theaters opening around the same time include: The Highland (1913-14?) at the corner of W. 5th and Highland, The Bide-a-Wee (1913-22) at 1575 N. High between 10th and 11th; The Summit (1914?-16?) at 2188 Summit St. near Alden; and The Ideal (1914-17) at 1145 Summit just south of E.

Fleeting Glimpses of the Past

There is almost no information about these short-lived, early theaters. No photos, no advertising, no newspaper articles. Except for The Ideal, even the buildings they occupied are no longer standing. Most early theaters were fairly insubstantial. They tended to be small, mom-and-pop operations, often consisting of just a rented store front with the windows blacked out, a projector, a sheet tacked to the wall for a screen, some benches or folding chairs, a sign, and maybe a piano. They seated--at most--100-150 patrons.

The Alhambra: A Pioneer

The Alhambra at High and Lane was the first real movie theater in the University District. The 500 seat theater opened in 1913 or 14. Under one name or another, films were shown there for the next 75 years. Since the theater closed, the building has been a fitness center and succession of night clubs.

The Piccadilly: A Transformation

The Piccadilly opened in the silent era and continued showing films through the 1930s and 1940s. During its early years, it shared a building with The American Ceramic Society, Battelle Memorial Institute, and a post office. The theater struggled in the 1950s until it began showing risqué films. As the Little Art Theater (or "Very Little Art Theater" as some dubbed it), the theater specialized in softcore and exploitation films. In the late 1960s, it began showing stronger fare and by the early 1970s was a porn theater. In 1973, the city condemned the aging building as unsafe. The theater alleged it was condemned to stop it showing X-rated films rather than for any building problems.

Read also: Legacy of Fordham University

The State: A Movie Palace

The State Theater was campus’ movie palace. Seating 1,800 patrons, it was the largest theater in the University District. It was also the lushest. Outside, the theater presented an ornamented Beaux-Arts façade to High St. Inside, everything was brass, gilt, crystal chandeliers, Belgian marble, mirrors, and velvet. Oddly for a theater sitting directly opposite Ohio State University, the theater’s color scheme was blue and yellow. The State endured until 1970 when it became The Agora, a concert hall for rock acts.

The Hudson: A Neighborhood Fixture

The Hudson (aka Lamar's Hudson, The New Hudson) opened in 1927 and sat in the middle of a busy commercial strip between 4th and Summit. A barber shop and beauty salon flanked the entrance. A small office suite occupied the second floor. During WWII, it housed the local draft board and later a dentist's office. The Hudson thrived as a neighborhood theater for almost 35 years but, by the early 1960s, competition from television and a lack of parking was hurting. In 1970, the abandoned theater was reopened as the New Hudson and showed pornographic films. After The Hudson closed as a theater, it was a church for many years. For decades, the building was empty, derelict, and vandalized.

The University: A Scarlet and Gray Tribute

The University opened in 1947 to great fanfare. Sitting across the street from old Ohio Field, where Buckeye football began, the University's look was all Ohio State. Scarlet and gray was featured prominently in the color scheme inside and out. Since closing, the building has housed a number of different fast food restaurants.

The Roxy: The Last of Its Kind

The Alhambra had been the first real movie theater in the University District. When it closed (as The Roxy) in 1988, it was the last.

The Gateway Film Center: A Modern Revival

In 1995, the Ohio State University and the City of Columbus partnered to improve conditions in the neighborhoods surrounding campus. At the time High Street between E. Ninth and Chittenden was an unsightly agglomeration of decaying, badly maintained buildings of different periods mostly housing bars and fast food joints. The 8-screen theater was originally operated as part of the Drexel chain, then briefly as a Landmark Theater. It is currently The Gateway Film Center, a partnership between Campus Partners and Ohio State's Wexner Center for the Arts. In all its incarnations, the theater has tried to strike a balance between Hollywood hits popular with mass audiences and more obscure art and indie titles. A unique feature of the theater is that the lobby is on the second floor.

Other Notable Theaters

THE GARDEN (1920-75, 2011-): A 700 seat movie palace with an indoor garden. It later became a grindhouse and then a burlesque theater.
THE GRANDVIEW (1926-60, 1988- ): A charming, intimate neighborhood theater that now shows art, classic, and international films.
STUDIO 35 (1938- ): A favorite of campus crowds with eclectic programming, special events, pizza, and beer.
DREXEL NORTH (1941-95): Popular with campus crowds for its indie, art, and cult programming, midnight movies, and hipster ambiance.
W. 5TH AVE. DRIVE-IN (1953-78): An unusual urban drive-in.
UNIVERSITY CITY CINEMA (1969-92): A generic, 2-screen cinebox in the University City Shopping Mall.
AMC LENNOX TOWN CENTER 24 (1996-2020): A megaplex that was one of the biggest in the nation when it opened.

The University Square Four: A Madison Landmark

In May 1975, the UW community became the center of Madison’s cinematic universe with the opening of the University Square Four: “Madison’s 1st Four-Theatre Entertainment Center,” according to ads. Screens one and two both showed Gone in 60 Seconds, while three had Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and four had Chinatown.

Labor Disputes

Projectionists Local 251 picketed in front of the doors, asking for higher pay from U Square Four’s owner, American Multi-Cinema (AMC). AMC responded that U Square was fully automated and so didn’t need full-time projectionists.

Redevelopment

The University Square shopping center contained more than a movie theater, of course. Its single story covered 60,000 square feet, taking up much of the south side of the 700 block of University Avenue. In 2001, U Square’s ownership announced a plan to redevelop the old shopping center, replacing it with a multistory structure that includes an apartment building (The Lucky) and UW offices. It took a few years for that plan to become a reality, but in 2006, U Square closed. The Den shut down in 2005. The theater had nowhere to go.

The University Mall in Carbondale, Illinois

University Mall is a shopping mall in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1974, it originally featured JCPenney and Sears as its major anchor stores, the latter taking the place of a Britt's discount store which never opened for business.

Expansion and Change

The mall received multiple expansions in the 1980s and 1990s, adding Meis (sold to Elder-Beerman in 1989), Venture Stores, and Famous-Barr. Sears moved to the then Illinois Centre Mall and was replaced by Montgomery Ward. Venture, Elder-Beerman, and Montgomery Ward all closed throughout the 1990s, with the former becoming K's Merchandise Mart until 2007, while Famous-Barr became Macy's in 2006. The mall has seen several closures in stores throughout the 21st century, including both Macy's and JCPenney. The remaining mall tenants include Ross Dress for Less, Illinicare Health, and SIH Medical Group.

Early Days

The first store to open at University Mall was a JCPenney department store, which opened in 1971. The same year, real estate developers David E. Hocker and Alan Squitieri, both of Owensboro, Kentucky, announced plans to build a mall extending easterly from the JCPenney store. Under their plans, the other original anchor stores would be Britt's (a discount department store owned by J. J. Newberry) and a Walgreens pharmacy. After construction of the Britt's store was completed, the company defaulted on its lease, and the store was never completed. As a result, the space was instead converted to Sears. The mall was slated to open in October 1974.

Later Developments

The first expansion to the mall occurred in 1980, when a new wing was added consisting of more than ten new storefronts and another anchor store: Terre Haute, Indiana-based Meis. A second expansion in 1991 added a new wing and two more anchor stores both owned by The May Department Stores Company: Famous-Barr and Venture Stores. Venture opened for business in March 1991, with many stores in their wing, including Victoria's Secret, Limited Express, and a relocation of Lerner New York, following in May. This new expansion cost over $43 million, and consisted of over 290,000 square feet (27,000 m2) of retail space. Both Montgomery Ward and Famous-Barr opened for business on November 1, 1991. Other stores joining the mall at this point included Hibbett Sports, Maurices, and Belden Jewelers.

Closures and New Tenants

Venture closed its store at University Mall in 1993, and later became K's Merchandise Mart. Elder-Beerman closed in 1997 and became health offices. An Old Navy was added in May 2002, and later that year, the Montgomery Ward space was demolished for a movie theater owned by Kerasotes (later AMC Theatres) and other small stores, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Goody's Family Clothing, Steve & Barry's, and Michaels. K's Merchandise closed in early 2007, as did Michaels. These closures were followed in 2008 by Goody's and Steve & Barry's. In October 2012, Ross Dress for Less opened in the space vacated by Michaels, and the former Steve & Barry's became Shoe Dept. Encore. On January 6, 2020, it was announced that Macy's would close in March 2020 as part of a plan to close 125 stores nationwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the store closed abruptly on March 17, 2020, along with all Macy's locations nationwide.

The Bama 6 Cinemas: A Tuscaloosa Memory

McFarland Plaza is home to Tuscaloosa's TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Ross--but did you know that the shopping center used to be an indoor mall? Meadowbrook Mall opened in 1977 and featured several smaller stores in addition to a Kroger and another larger store called Murphy's Mar. The mall saw a decline after the opening of University Mall in 1980, so Meadowbrook got a bit of a makeover. It was then named Bama Mall and was home to the Bama 6 Cinemas.

A Mall Movie Theater

That's right--there was a movie theater IN the mall. You can still see the old entrance to Bama 6-- it's right by the Dollar General. Bama 6 saw its decline after the opening of Tuscaloosa's Hollywood 16 Cinemas. It eventually became a dollar theater before closing its doors forever.

University Mall Theatres and Cinema Arts Theatre: A Fairfax County Story

If you have gone to the movies at University Mall Theatres or Cinema Arts Theatre, you may be familiar with Mark O’Meara. As owner of both theaters, O’Meara is not one to stay out of sight in the back office. Instead, he relishes being out front, chatting with customers, selling concessions, and being part of the action.

From Stay-at-Home Dad to Theater Owner

The O’Meara family relocated to Fairfax County from upstate New York in 1990. While his wife Loretta worked as a nurse, O’Meara was a stay-at-home dad to their children. In 1991, O’Meara happened to stroll past the shuttered movie theater at University Mall and wondered what it would be like to operate a movie theater. A self-described entrepreneur, O’Meara was excited about the prospect of theater ownership. After securing a lease of the theater, O’Meara embarked upon learning the ropes of running a movie theater. He learned how to operate film projectors by assisting a projectionist for several days. Deciding to open University Mall Theatres as a second-run, O’Meara initially hired a booker to secure movies from the studios before taking over booking duties himself.

Expanding Horizons

In 1999, O’Meara was pitched the idea of converting University Mall Theatres into an art house theater. Although the idea was intriguing, O’Meara decided to pass on the idea, wary of alienating the loyal customers he had worked so hard to attract. However, a few months later, the movie theater at Fair City Mall became available, giving O’Meara an opportunity to try his hand at running an art house theater. After installing new seats and devising a more sophisticated concessions menu, O’Meara opened Cinema Arts Theatre. While working to make his theaters successful, he and Loretta were also busy raising their three children. O’Meara especially enjoyed coaching his children’s youth sports teams. Later he joined the Athletics Boosters at Robinson Secondary School and has been an active and enthusiastic member for over 20 years. His gregarious personality has been put to good use selling raffle tickets in the stands during football games.

Overcoming Challenges

In 2014, O’Meara faced a significant challenge. The wear and tear on the seats at both theaters had taken a toll and they desperately needed to be replaced. O’Meara and his staff created a campaign on Kickstarter, an online fundraising platform, to replace the seats at University Mall. Their campaign, called “Save Our Butts” sought $100,000 to purchase new seats. Two weeks into the campaign, they reached their goal. A year later, they created a second campaign to purchase new seats for Cinema Arts. At first, donations trickled in slowly, but after swapping their usual previews for a humorous video asking for donations, they hit their goal. O’Meara credits his staff for their marketing savvy and the fiercely loyal customers who donated.

Community Engagement

O’Meara’s popularity can be attributed, in part, to his generosity in the community. He routinely donates movie tickets to nonprofits and community organizations for their fundraisers and his theaters serve as collection sites for Britepaths’ back to school backpack drive. He supports the work of young filmmakers at W.T. Woodson High School and Robinson Secondary School by hosting screenings (including a red carpet) of their film class projects at Cinema Arts. O’Meara has been recognized for his good works.

Surviving the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating to O’Meara’s theaters, which were closed for nearly all of 2020. He credits the special COVID-19 loans, debt relief, grants and other programs for the survival of his theaters. Although people have been slow to return to the theaters, the passionate support O’Meara has received from some of his customers has been encouraging. When Cinema Arts first reopened, a customer who refused to give her name returned monthly with envelopes of cash. When O’Meara tried to return them, she refused, telling him “You have to survive, you’re so important to the community.” To this day, O’Meara says that she visits the theater on a weekly basis, bringing with her a $100 donation. O’Meara is in awe of her loyalty and generosity, saying “That is a story that boggles my mind.

Looking to the Future

O’Meara hopes that the immersive experience of watching a movie in a theater will bring people back. Another draw to his theaters is the special discount days - tickets on Tuesdays at University Mall are half price and he offers Senior Wednesday at Cinema Arts, where all tickets are $6 for people 60 and older. A few years ago, O’Meara took on a new challenge. He joined a committee working on a project to create an all abilities adapted sports center in Fairfax County. He has devoted himself to learning more - touring facilities and conducting research - to learn how the center can best meet the needs of people with disabilities in the community. Although O’Meara is 70 years old, he loves what he does and has no intention of slowing down.

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