CinemaSalem

1 E. India Square Mall,
Salem, MA 01970

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jph
jph on June 9, 2005 at 10:30 pm

This closed down as a Loews in December, 1994 and reopened as a Flick in July, 1995.

The arcade stayed on (although not directly affiliated with the cinema) until the East India Mall underwent extensive renovations in the late 90’s (around 1997 or so) which, among other things, gave the cinema a seperate entrance from the rest of the mall. It reverted to first run films a year or two ago.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on June 9, 2005 at 8:02 am

This originally opened as a Sack theatre in 1982. Here’s a Boston Globe article about it at that time:

SACK TO OPEN CINEMA-VIDEO COMPLEX IN SALEM
Boston Globe – October 8, 1982
By George McKinnon, Globe Staff

Pac-Man versus the movies. Or a $3-billion-a-year ticket sale for films against a projected $7 billion for home video and arcade electronic games.

In an if-you-can’t-beat'em-join'em move, Sack Theaters is combining a new three-screen cinema complex in Salem with an adjoining game center.

Yesterday, A. Alan Friedberg, president of Sack, said: “We’re calling it the Sack Entertainment Center and it will open next Friday at East India Mall in Salem in the heart of the downtown renewal area. It’s the first such theater and game center combination in New England.

“We’ve had a few video games in our theater lobbies, but this is a new concept, a completely separate area next to the theaters.”

Asked if he thought the games would cut into movie profits, Friedberg said: “We don’t think so. We feel that people will go into the center either before or after going to the movies. I think they’ll both feed off each other.”

He pointed out that a New York Times page one story Monday said that arcade and home video games have in the past five years become enormously popular and Hollywood has gone into the games by licensing its successful movies, such as “E T,” to game manufacturers.

When the Entertainment Center opens next week, Sack Theaters will have 57 screens in Massachusetts.

I don’t think Sack ever opened another cinema/video arcade combination. I suspect the arcade part didn’t last that long; it’s not there today.

Sack changed its name to USACinemas in 1985. Loews bought USACinemas in 1988, and eventually got rid of this and other small local cinemas.

Until pretty recently, this was a second-run discount house.