Amboy Multiplex Cinemas

Built on tne former site of Amboys Drive-in.

Next month will be 15 years since the building was closed, becoming vacant and filled with dust. During that period, NA broke up Viacom and CBS into two and 14 years later were one company again, ViacomCBS, again owned by the Redstone family. Sumner is almost 97 years old and still kicking it. Most of the profits that National Amusements is getting is from ViacomCBS with the growth in PlutoTV, a streaming service with ads that has grown in popularity with the Covid 19 pandemic forcing people to stay home.

The multiplex was just coming into being in 1979. The problem with Amboys (and Im sure Sunrise) was that they put all the electrical in a room at the end of the hallway by #6 (eventual 14). That made it impossible to expand that way, which made it a one way with that long, long hallway to the end.

Thanks markp for letting me know where the auditoriums were located in the multiplex. As I wrote, I didn’t frequent it as much as other movie theaters in the area, so honestly couldn’t remember where they were located in that never-ending hallway. If someone parked their car behind auditoriums 1 and 2, it would take several minutes to walk to the front of the building. I recollect that very well. And thanks for letting me know that there was a box office on both the right hand side and left hand side near the entrance. I honestly thought there were 2 box offices, since I recall my late dad buying tickets from the one on the left hand side a few times, but couldn’t remember for sure.

And it will be interesting to see what happens with the property heading forward. It has already been 13 years since it shut down, so I can’t believe something hasn’t been done with the land yet. However, if the land is a clean-up site, I do kind of understand. But, it would be nice if they could redevelop it one of these days. As you wrote, a Drive-In theater would probably do really well there during the warmer months. I also think a weekend flea market could potentially do well at that location during the summer months.

Hey. I used to go to this multiplex every once in a while back in the mid-90s and even though I didn’t see movies at it as often as I saw them at other movie theaters, I continue to think about it a lot, since I fear the same thing may happen to one of my current go-to theaters in the Central NJ area. Anyway, some of the things I remember most about this theater were the green seats, the fact that it seemed like it took forever to walk to the front of the building/entrance depending on where you parked your car in the parking lot, the fact that it seemed like there were so many doors you could exit the building from and the never-ending hallway you’d sometimes have to walk down to get to the auditorium the movie you were planning to see was showing in. I also remember the locations of the restrooms very well. One thing I can’t recollect too well is the areas where tickets were sold. I remember there was a register where you could buy tickets from on the right hand side when you walked into the multiplex. But, didn’t they also have a register that sold tickets on the left hand side, too? Or am I not remembering the areas where they sold tickets correctly? Also, can anyone remember the exact location of the auditoriums in the building. For example, where were auditoriums 1 and 2 in proximity to where you would give the ticket taker your tickets? Were they to the right in that never-ending hallway or to the left? And what about auditoriums 13 and 14? Where were they located in the building? Thanks for any information you can provide me. And honestly, I still kind of miss this place. It was definitely one of the bigger and nicer multiplexes in the Central NJ area back in the day. I feel it is still a shame what happened to it.

Did you recognize any of those film trailers or what they may be ?

moviebuff82 I didn’t see any major film reels there. The only film I saw were trailers and other ads, but those were far and few between. Nothing seemed very damaged as it was all upstairs. Everything downstairs was in worse condition.

Probably the few things that are still okay are the things in the storage area under the big sign on rt 9 that shows the movie viewings. I looked inside and there are seats and the letters used to put up. And other things that they used

Is any of the rest of the equipment left in building salvageable ?

Ive been saying a nice 4 screen drive in would be a hit. 2 larger screens by the river, and 2 smaller ones by the former circle. Open it up from mid march till mid November. It would be a gold mine

markp: SIFF (Seattle Int'l. Film Festival) runs 3 year round venues, two single screen houses and a triplex and still they still have a good deal of both 35mm and digital work for us. I could work elsewhere as a stagehand and make more money but I started in movie theaters when I was 16 years old and it must be in my blood as I can’t seem to get away from it. I also work at the Seattle Art Museum (35 and digital) and at the Cinerama when film is run. Dunkirk in 70mm for two weeks later this month and a 3 week 70mm festival in September. As to stage work, I pretty much limit myself to work at the Seattle Center as a City employee.

Seattleprojectionist, I last worked full time as a union projectionist 4 years ago last month, when the 10 plex I worked at went digital. I run the occasional 35mm at a non union house once in a blue moon, and I’m lucky enough to be doing 70mm at the Regal Theatre in Times Square NYC. I was hired to do Hateful 8 and now they hired me back to do Dunkirk. And as you a stagehand the rest of the time at Prudential Center Arena in Newark NJ. And less yearly income to go along with it.

Seattleprojectionist, no it was always a National Amusements from day one. But the fact that both GCC and NA home offices were close to each other in Boston, they used the same supplier for many things. It made it easy for me as I worked as a projectionist in 2 GCC theatres for over 10 years and this place for 21 years.