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New attitude for saving South Jersey theaters
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
May 13, 2009 at 10:44 am
The tide is turning for the mood of saving old theaters in South New Jersey.
South Jersey developers have found that old movie houses in disrepair can make great locations for new pharmacies. The iconic Harwan Theatre in Mount Ephraim became a Walgreen’s. The Century Theater in Audubon became an Eckerd Drug.
But now volunteer groups are trying to rescue some of the remaining theaters.
Neighbors Celebrating the Westmont is dedicated to saving the 1,300-seat Westmont Theatre, in Haddon Township, Camden County, where a young Steven Spielberg once sat mesmerized by the silver screen and Dustin Hoffman sat in disguise to gauge audience reaction to “Kramer vs. Kramer.”
Read more in the Philadelphia Daily News.
Comments (10)
That happened about 10 years ago in Boston too. The Paris theater in the Back Bay was stripped to its steel I-beams and turned into a CVS! I guess there’s something about the high ceilings and big open space of theaters that they’re drawn to.
What about the old theatres along the South Jersey shore?? Ventnor, Wildwood ( where so many have already been demolished ) Cape May ??
So……instead of restoring great, venerable old movie palace theatres to their former glory for movies/performances,. etc., they raze them or gut them in order to make them into pharmacies because it’s cheaper??!? This is so sad.
Slight correction: the Paris theatre in Boston was turned into a Walgreens.
pitman did aay with films to add more childrens plays, but when you dont book films people want to see then put them at times people are not home from work how are you to make money
ventnor just sits rotting, wildwood is open but why bother and cape may is far from the theater i run now and the town doesnt respect it…who knows
So Newt, am I to understand that you now work for the theatre in Cape May?
Too late for Atlantic City-all gone.
no i am gm in stone harbor at the 5, but same company
In response to ken mc…too late for many of the shore communities, Asbury Park, Seaside, Point Pleasant, AC as you mentioned, its a sin how they were all destroyed.
And to newt wallen…if my wife and I manage to scrape together enough to take a vacation, perhaps we will stop by the stone harbor 5 and finally meet you.
ill be here and i love nothing more then to show people around these cool old buildings (which isnt as impressive as pitman) and talk movies.