Waikiki 1, 2, 3 Closes

posted by Ross Melnick on November 22, 2002 at 6:36 pm

HONOLULU, HI — Consolidated Amusmements, which had operated the historic Waikiki 1, 2, 3 theaters, has announced their abrupt closure. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, the company has cited dwindling attendance in closing the triplex and said plans to close the theater have been discussed since 1990.

The Waikiki 3 theater is actually the original Waikiki Theatre which opened in 1936 and was later joined by the Waikiki 1 & 2. Consolidated Amusements opened a nearby megaplex a few years ago which has been slowly killing their one-time flagship cinema, the Waikiki.

With the busy holiday season, the company decided to close the older theater and switch its employees to the megaplex in order to avoid having to hire seasonal help.

Along with the shuttering of the Hawaii Cinerama Theater, the passing of the Waikiki is a major blow to movie theater enthusiasts on the island. No further word is available on the fate of these three theaters.