Good point, Norm…although Mid-America overdid it, in my opinion. A rather poorly done twin in any little strip shopping center they could find (South City, Manchester, Paddock, Four Seasons, etc). At least the Cave Springs was a free standing theater with its own building…
Another comment on Arthur Theaters: They actually did move into the county in the 60s and 70s, opening theaters in St. Ann and Ellisville in addition to the Cross Keys and St. Andrews…but almost all their theaters had only one screen. Mid-America had the foresight to at least open several twin theaters and expand the Esquire and Village Square to three screens. Wehrenberg also went multiplex, with the Westport Twin, Cinema 4 Center, and Des Peres 4. Arthur just didn’t seem to recognize that the multiplex was the new way to go with movie theaters…despite the fact they ran the St. Ann 4 Screen Drive-In!! Go fig…
@royals: In my opinion, what cause Arthur Theaters to go bankrupt was they took too long to expand into St. Louis county. Most of their theaters (Fox, Shenandoah, etc) were in the city of St. Louis and, by the time the late 1960s/early 1970s rolled around, Wehrenberg, Mid-America, and General Cinema (along with a few others) had opened several new theaters in St. Louis County. Arthur tried to play “catch-up” with the Cross Keys, 270 Drive-In, and St. Andrews Cinema, but they were too late to totally commit to the county.
Just my opinion, of course…others can feel free to share other thoughts on this…
One more thing about the Cross Keys: Although everyone could see the marquee with the “Batman” ears near the main entrance to the shopping center, the cinema itself as hidden way in the back of the center, as I recall. Didn’t you use to have to drive almost all the way around the center to get to the cinema?
Chuck, could you post the process you went through to make that link selectable? I’m sorry if I just missed it somewhere, but I can seem to find the right process on here. Thanks!
@littlelamzie: Actually, it’s not much different from when I went there on Friday nights in 1990!! That was when the theater only had 6 screens and the kids were loud and disrespectful then…maybe not foul-mouthed, but they still ruined the movie experience because they just wouldn’t shut up!! I’ve found the St. Charles 18 to be far better…
Kavita Kumar of the Post-Dispatch said in her column today that the redevelopment plans for Crestwood Plaza could include a new movie theater with leather seats and high-end dining, along with a bowling alley, as new tenants as part of the redevelopment. A closing date for the current 10-screen theater was not mentioned, but JAlex’s info would fit right in with this idea.
I have a rather bittersweet memory of the Park Sierra. It was here that I had a final get-together with an ex-girlfriend…who was my First Great Love.. She took me to see “The Sandlot” in 1993 as a birthday present. That was the last time we got together…we’ve both moved on and have married other people now…but I guess you don’t forget what it’s like when your First Love has to end…
Do you think it’s possible AMC would consider putting a theater at South County Center if/when the Crestwood closes, seeing how South County Center seems to be doing much better?
The Post-Dispatch just ran a story today (12/29/2011) that the Sears in Crestwood Plaza will close sometime next year (2012). It also says the owners have told many of the various artists who have been renting space in the mall that their leases will not be renewed in 2012. This can only mean the mall is going to be redeveloped, which means scrapped and totally redone. This also probably means this movie theater might not last much longer either.
Bill, you can also go to the Melvin Theater’s website (http://themelvintheater.com) and go to the Contact link. That might be the best way to get hold of them. Again, keep my posted.
Unfortunately, I don’t know the owners (I live in Southern California), so the only information I can give you is the Melvin Theater’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/themelvintheater
There’s a phone number and an email address on there. Give that a try an let me know how it goes…
By the way, how was the Melvin back when your family ran it? Was the neighborhood decent? What kind of turnout did you get? How were the crowds? What really brought them in?
Based on what I saw on Google Maps, the South Community Credit Union building now occupies the spot where the Crest Theater once stood. Of course, if I have that wrong, feel free to correct…politely…
Never went to this place but, from what I can recall, it was never one of the more popular Wehrenberg Theaters. Of course, if there are those who disagree, let them be heard…
I can make out the MA Interstate logo to the left of the door. Was the projection/concession building near the HQ building? If not, where was it on the property? This must have been a REALLY big lot to hold all that.
Norm, you’re right…although I haven’t been to NWP in quite a while, I have been reading about its demise. Really sad to see a formerly great place go totally down the tubes like that…
I went to the old Jamestown Twin once to see Flatliners back in 1990. The picture of the old twin in the overview kinda makes the theater look like an outlot, but I know it wasn’t. I believe you had to go into the mall to get to the theater, which is also the case with the current Jamestown 14.
Of course, if I got that wrong, feel free to correct…
Looking at the far left of the picture of the Crown, it looks like something shaped like a W…or maybe a crown…is on the roof. Was that true or am I just a victim of wishful thinking? :)
On a sad note, the parking lot you see in the Google image is exactly what the parking lot at Crestwood Plaza (Court) looks like most of the time. You can’t even go into that Dillard’s building anymore. What a shame…
Since this theater was originally opened by Mid-America Theaters, I’m assuming it was later operated by RKO-MidAmerica and, eventually, AMC. I’m also guessing AMC closed it when they opened the theater at Crestwood Plaza.
Thanks, Norm!! By the way, if you look at the top right of the photo, it looks like the word “ESQUIRE” in white lettering is trying to peek through. I believe I remember seeing that on that building in the 70s, but I wonder if anyone else remembers that…
In the street view, if you scroll around, you’ll see the West County Center mall. That is the former location of the Manchester Drive-In. Ironically, if you keep scrolling, you will also see the green cathedral roof of Wehrenberg’s Des Peres 14 Cine, which is on the other side of I-270 on Manchester Road.
Good point, Norm…although Mid-America overdid it, in my opinion. A rather poorly done twin in any little strip shopping center they could find (South City, Manchester, Paddock, Four Seasons, etc). At least the Cave Springs was a free standing theater with its own building…
Another comment on Arthur Theaters: They actually did move into the county in the 60s and 70s, opening theaters in St. Ann and Ellisville in addition to the Cross Keys and St. Andrews…but almost all their theaters had only one screen. Mid-America had the foresight to at least open several twin theaters and expand the Esquire and Village Square to three screens. Wehrenberg also went multiplex, with the Westport Twin, Cinema 4 Center, and Des Peres 4. Arthur just didn’t seem to recognize that the multiplex was the new way to go with movie theaters…despite the fact they ran the St. Ann 4 Screen Drive-In!! Go fig…
@royals: In my opinion, what cause Arthur Theaters to go bankrupt was they took too long to expand into St. Louis county. Most of their theaters (Fox, Shenandoah, etc) were in the city of St. Louis and, by the time the late 1960s/early 1970s rolled around, Wehrenberg, Mid-America, and General Cinema (along with a few others) had opened several new theaters in St. Louis County. Arthur tried to play “catch-up” with the Cross Keys, 270 Drive-In, and St. Andrews Cinema, but they were too late to totally commit to the county.
Just my opinion, of course…others can feel free to share other thoughts on this…
One more thing about the Cross Keys: Although everyone could see the marquee with the “Batman” ears near the main entrance to the shopping center, the cinema itself as hidden way in the back of the center, as I recall. Didn’t you use to have to drive almost all the way around the center to get to the cinema?
Chuck, could you post the process you went through to make that link selectable? I’m sorry if I just missed it somewhere, but I can seem to find the right process on here. Thanks!
@littlelamzie: Actually, it’s not much different from when I went there on Friday nights in 1990!! That was when the theater only had 6 screens and the kids were loud and disrespectful then…maybe not foul-mouthed, but they still ruined the movie experience because they just wouldn’t shut up!! I’ve found the St. Charles 18 to be far better…
Kavita Kumar of the Post-Dispatch said in her column today that the redevelopment plans for Crestwood Plaza could include a new movie theater with leather seats and high-end dining, along with a bowling alley, as new tenants as part of the redevelopment. A closing date for the current 10-screen theater was not mentioned, but JAlex’s info would fit right in with this idea.
Here’s the link to the story:
http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/consumer-central/bowling-alley-movie-theater-among-possible-tenants-for-new-crestwood/article_a4b3e396-624c-11e1-85b0-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story
Does anyone know how to make a link selectable on this site? If you do, I’ll try to repost.
I have a rather bittersweet memory of the Park Sierra. It was here that I had a final get-together with an ex-girlfriend…who was my First Great Love.. She took me to see “The Sandlot” in 1993 as a birthday present. That was the last time we got together…we’ve both moved on and have married other people now…but I guess you don’t forget what it’s like when your First Love has to end…
Do you think it’s possible AMC would consider putting a theater at South County Center if/when the Crestwood closes, seeing how South County Center seems to be doing much better?
The Post-Dispatch just ran a story today (12/29/2011) that the Sears in Crestwood Plaza will close sometime next year (2012). It also says the owners have told many of the various artists who have been renting space in the mall that their leases will not be renewed in 2012. This can only mean the mall is going to be redeveloped, which means scrapped and totally redone. This also probably means this movie theater might not last much longer either.
Bill, you can also go to the Melvin Theater’s website (http://themelvintheater.com) and go to the Contact link. That might be the best way to get hold of them. Again, keep my posted.
Bill,
Unfortunately, I don’t know the owners (I live in Southern California), so the only information I can give you is the Melvin Theater’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/themelvintheater
There’s a phone number and an email address on there. Give that a try an let me know how it goes…
By the way, how was the Melvin back when your family ran it? Was the neighborhood decent? What kind of turnout did you get? How were the crowds? What really brought them in?
Based on what I saw on Google Maps, the South Community Credit Union building now occupies the spot where the Crest Theater once stood. Of course, if I have that wrong, feel free to correct…politely…
Never went to this place but, from what I can recall, it was never one of the more popular Wehrenberg Theaters. Of course, if there are those who disagree, let them be heard…
I can make out the MA Interstate logo to the left of the door. Was the projection/concession building near the HQ building? If not, where was it on the property? This must have been a REALLY big lot to hold all that.
Norm, you’re right…although I haven’t been to NWP in quite a while, I have been reading about its demise. Really sad to see a formerly great place go totally down the tubes like that…
Since this theater became a twin after opening as a single screen, shouldn’t the number of screens be 2 rather than 1? Just wondering…
Since this theater became a twin after opening as a single screen, shouldn’t the number of screens be 2 rather than 1? Just wondering…
I went to the old Jamestown Twin once to see Flatliners back in 1990. The picture of the old twin in the overview kinda makes the theater look like an outlot, but I know it wasn’t. I believe you had to go into the mall to get to the theater, which is also the case with the current Jamestown 14.
Of course, if I got that wrong, feel free to correct…
Looking at the far left of the picture of the Crown, it looks like something shaped like a W…or maybe a crown…is on the roof. Was that true or am I just a victim of wishful thinking? :)
I went to this place once to see Gremlins 2. That was around 1984-1985 and the theater was a discount house.
What I wouldn’t give to see a movie in this building one more time…this was such a GREAT movie theater!!!
On a sad note, the parking lot you see in the Google image is exactly what the parking lot at Crestwood Plaza (Court) looks like most of the time. You can’t even go into that Dillard’s building anymore. What a shame…
Since this theater was originally opened by Mid-America Theaters, I’m assuming it was later operated by RKO-MidAmerica and, eventually, AMC. I’m also guessing AMC closed it when they opened the theater at Crestwood Plaza.
Thanks, Norm!! By the way, if you look at the top right of the photo, it looks like the word “ESQUIRE” in white lettering is trying to peek through. I believe I remember seeing that on that building in the 70s, but I wonder if anyone else remembers that…
In the street view, if you scroll around, you’ll see the West County Center mall. That is the former location of the Manchester Drive-In. Ironically, if you keep scrolling, you will also see the green cathedral roof of Wehrenberg’s Des Peres 14 Cine, which is on the other side of I-270 on Manchester Road.