Movieland 8 Theatres
200 Thruway Plaza Drive,
Cheektowaga,
NY
14225
200 Thruway Plaza Drive,
Cheektowaga,
NY
14225
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On the Western New York Heritage Press website they have a short article on the Thruway Plaza. View link
No mention of the theatre, but then, it is a bit far from the plaza/mall proper. The article states that it’s initial competition came from the Seneca Mall in 1969, which itself was razed in the early 1990’s. (With rumors of a multiplex being built there, but those plans never materialized.) SO much for the 125 years ….
The AppleTree 6 (former AMC Como Park Mall 8) closed at the same time because the owners of the AppleTree Business Park did not renew JMG Entertainment’s lease for the theatre (they wanted a more business park appropriate tennant for the space). JMG then leased and opened this theatre as a replacement, so to speak.
Theater was converted to an 8 screen in the mid 1980’s.
As far as inexplicably buying the WG cinemas, I suspect it had to do with the Thruway plaza not longer drawing customers at a rate that they would like. That said, I did prefer Thruway Cinemas to the Walden Galleria Cinemas. That may explain why Regal is readdressing their position at the Galleria Mall.
When it reopened as Movieland, it was as a second run theater. At about this time, the Appletree AMC second run house closed. (Also fairly close to the Galleria, 3 movie houses in 5 miles or so.)
This theatre was originally a GCC complex, which opened as a 3-plex. General Cinema closed this theatre in the early 90’s during the conversion of Thruway Mall into Thruway Plaza. This was GCC’s primary theatre in Buffalo’s eastern suburbs for many years until they inexplicably bought the very nearby Walden Galleria 12 from Hoyts in 1990. The funny thing is with the gutting/demolition of the Galleria 12 last year this theatre actually outlived its replacement.