Stonemont Theatre
5241 Memorial Drive,
Stone Mountain,
GA
30083
5241 Memorial Drive,
Stone Mountain,
GA
30083
6 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 40 comments
Hi all it’s Leah! Manager from about 1977-82? Great, great memories! I remember the total inside of the theatre. My office, concession stand, behind concession stand, storage areas, bathrooms, theatres themselves. I remember the weekend midnight shows of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Late nights. One of my favorite all time jobs.
This closed as a Cineplex in 1995 and reopened as a discount cinema 1997-1998.
Was the time capsule ever opened in 2000? Is it known where it was buried?
The Henry Winkler and Sally Field movie was called “Heroes” (1977). Sometimes I come across the soundtrack album at record meets.
So I presume “Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope” first played there? (I live in Michigan, by the way. Just curious.)
This opened on June 25th, 1976. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
REMEMBERING PLITT THEATRES is neat site to join on Facebook.
My first job was at this theater (Plitt Stonemont) … I was there in 1981/82. I’ve always wondered what happened to the manager at the time, Lea (I don’t remember her last name). I’m so happy to have found this site and all of the nostalgic comments from former employees. It was such a wonderful theater and a great place to work during that time. I had several good friends who worked in the Hallmark store and the hair salon in the same complex … I really miss those days and am saddened to learn about the missing time capsule and eventual demolition of the building.
Well at least the building that was Columbia 1 and 2 is still up,Being used for a church and the other side a music store,Sure bet alot of Atlanta moviegoers hated to see it gone.
thanks Stan and Alonzo.
Thanks for the aerial view,the front is different from my twin theatre I worked at for ABC/Plitt,but the white painted concrete blocks look the same,i bet in inside it was the exact copy of Columbia 1 and 2 or Columbia Square Cinemas as noted on CT.
Stonemont on Oct.15.1988 is playing “COMING TO AMERICA” and “TOUGHER THAN LEATHER”
Yes, both were released in 1981. We played HEAVY METAL on our Midnight Shows. Don’t think we played AMERICAN POP. I saw it on HBO in the early 80’s.
Yeah, I remember it was supposed to be some big state-of-the-art animated rock movie right? Didn’t it come out about the time HEAVY METAL did?
American Pop told the amimated story of 4 generations of men told in music ending uo in the world of psychedelic rock world. Directed by Ralph Bakshi .He was also the maker of HEAVY TRAFFIC and Fritz The Cat, both X rated when released. Standards today they would probably be R rated. Dmorg, I don’t even know if it was ever onVHS much less DVD.
I don’t know, guess I was just a kid and really dug the Fonz, that was his first big starring role then. And Sally Field was just so foxy from “Smokey and the Bandit”. A pretty grown-up PG movie for it’s time. Pity about the music, it really sucks. I never saw “American Pop” but I bet that’s happened to a quite a few movies.
DMORG,,, THANK YOU . I never was that crazy about HEROES, but i knew KANSAS did the ending. AND here is one ..IN AMERICAN POP the end song over the credits was FREEBIRD, If i am not mistaken when i saw it on HBO i could have sworn they put a cover song at the ending.Boy, when you work at a theatre you pick up on so much.
Yeah, that’s right! I was eight at the time and that song blew me away when He and Sally Field were making out at the end. There’s a silly cover song on the DVD. Must have been problems getting the rights from KANSAS. I wish a reperetory house (i’m in L.A. now) would play it.
COLUMBIA TWO played HEROES first run ; an ABC THEATRE. I noticed on the end credits on HEROES the song CARRY ON WAYARD SON by KANSAS was in the film version because i heard it everynight walking down to check the exits. I could swear i saw HEROES on tv only it had a different music ending .like classical or something.
By the way, I think that Henry Winkler movie that played Stonemont was “Heroes”. Christmas 1977 South Dekalb picked it up when it got quaded is my guess. I saw it there, one week after seeing Pete’s Dragon playing next door (on two screens? in ‘77!) and Looking for Mr. Goodbar was playing in the last house which I was way, way, too young for.
Ihave a complete history on COLUMBIA 1 and 2,funny thing is you could change the name to STONEMONT, i bet the history/ STORIES would be the same.
THE STONEMONT 1 and 2 THEATRES had a twin sister in Martinez,Ga.{AUGUSTA} We opened Nov,1976.and there is also another ABC theatre just like COLUMBIA 1 and 2 is the CEDAR BLUFF 1 and 2 THEATRES in Knoxville,Tenn. One thing at ABC THEATRES we did not call our theatres twin theatres or cinemas. it was STONEMONT 1 and 2 or COLUMBIA 1 and 2 Or CEDAR BLUFF 1 and 2 theatres . COLUMBIA 1 and 2 is listed under COLUMBIA SQUARE CINEMAS, but we NEVER went by such a title. I was Luckly to get a seat and a piece of carpet before it was gone. SHOULD HAVE GRABBED ONE JOSEPH!
Greeting,
My name is Joseph Cantrell. I was a manager in the late 90s for Cineplex Odeon corp. Doug Sides was my district manager and I was just 17 years old managing the Lawrenceville Cinema Four (dollar house) and then the Snellville Cinema Six. I was out of the business for many years and wanted to return. I grew up on Ray’s road behind the Stonemont Twin and went there as a child/teen. I returned in 2001-2003 and gave the old girl Stonemont Twin one last run at it! We opened as the Hollywood Twin Cinemas. It was of course a dollar theatre but for a few short months I tried it first run. General Cinema was still open on Hairston and they got into short fight with Paramount at the time. So guess what the Stonemont twin cinema opened first run…The Titanic. I also stole saving Private Ryan from them. We did well..that was about all she had left.
I held on for a couple of years but the area would not support her… It went back to Indian operators and my H was changed to a B to make her Bollywood Cinemas.
I can confirm the time capsule was broken into one night before I came into work the next day. I always wondered what was is in it. My wife and I were so tickled to come across this website to finally know!
What a great theatre she was!!! I got to live a dream when I ran her as my own. It was for a short time but I did it! It breaks my heart to hear she has been torn down. I would have loved to purchase a few of the seats to have as keepsakes. I am a police officer now in Loganville and have not been in Stn Mtn in several years. I guess I will need to go a lay some flowers down on the site Stonemont once stood…
I so enjoyed reading Mr Malons account of the good old days of the theatre business! its stays in your blood that is for sure.
Take care
Joseph Cantrell
P.S it is absolutely 5241 Memorial Drive.
Wow, I was surprised to find this discussion. I am the archivist at the DeKalb History Center and am writing a paper about the U.S. bicentennial celebration events in the county.
The time capsule was an official bicentennial event sanctioned by the DeKalb County Bicentennial Committee. It was implanted on June 25, 1976, and was supposed to be reopened in 2000. Tommy, the letter from the governor was actually George Busbee. Carter left office in January 1975. It’s too bad the capsule did not survive. If I find a detailed list of contents in my research, I’ll post it.
If anyone has pictures or other artifacts relating to DeKalb County theaters, consider donating them (or copies) to the DeKalb History Center.
BTW, I grew up going to the Northlake theater, now owned by AMC.
Regarding the “Time Capsule”…yes, I was the opening manager of the Stonemont Twin. When the theatre opened we dedicated the capsule to the Dekalb County Library. It was to be opened June 25,2000, the theatre opened June 25,1976. And as usual my friend Stan was correct… we had children and parents bring poloroid pictures of themselves with social on the back so they could be located for a ceremony when it was opened.
Also in the capsule was a video of Nixon’s resignation, the winner of the Atlanta Golf Classic putting the winning stroke, a letter from then Governor Jimmy Carter, to the Governor of the year 2000, MARTA’s predictions for 2000, various letters from civic leaders, a letter from myself to the manager, and Chamber of Commerce predictions for 2000.
I went by the theatre in 1999 when it was BollyWood, or whatever, I tried to talk to the manager who was….foriegn, didn’t have a clue to what I was talking about. We originally had a marble face placed on top of the capsule, which upon inspection had been broken. I asked the manager if I could dig and inspect to see if it was still there, and to no surprise it was gone.
I have a copy of the newspaper with me and my staff standing in front of the theatre – dated June 24,1976 – standing next to me was Toni Towers, a beautiful young lady, but the one who stole my heart was Sherri Ogle, who was not available for the photo.
Probably only fitting for the theatre to be demolished… she was a fine movie house where many people had a good time, and then would grab a bite to eat at Provino’s. I know at one point, when we were still owned by ABC Southeastern Theatres, their was discussion about building a smaller third auditorium – in the adjoining parking lot – seating about 300. The thought was to move the longer running movies to the smaller screen, and get newer releases.
When we opened with “Superman” the Stonemont out-grossed every theatre in Atlanta in the 2nd weekend of release. The theatre did great business, and was a big money maker for ABC.
It would have been neat in a wierd sense to be there when it was demolished…to see it raise and fall. The wall seperating the two auditoiums had to be filled with sand, because of the sound bleeding over to each theatre. The installation used during construction proved to be inadequate.
Funny, when stonemont opened the closet first run theatre was at Northlake Mall(3), owned by General Cinemas Corp. The crop of theatres, which were built along Memorial Drive showed how much the area had grown, and the support the people gave Stonemont when she was at her glorious best. Because without the numbers or profit the theatre produced, it is doubtfull if other chains would have wanted to penetrate a lazy market.
I pass by Stonemont about four times a day, as I live about a half mile down the street from it on Rays Road. I’ve lived there since the very early 1970s, so I grew up watching movies at Stonemont. Oddly enough, I never even noticed that it was torn down. I was talking about it last night with a buddy and while talking and searching the web at the same time, I found this article. Today I went by Stonemont and the other theaters on Memorial Drive. Yes, Stonemont is gone, but it does not appear that any other part of the shopping center was torn down. It appears that the theater was actually a separate building and did not share a common wall with the store next to it. The outside wall of the store next to it, which is now exposed, did not look new. Where the theater once stood is now a grass field. I don’t see any signs of the lot being prepared for new construction. What shocked me most was that the lot seemed very small and I found it hard to believe that two movie theaters and a lobby once stood there.
My main interest in the subject stemmed from the Time Capsule and what happened to it. I started an investigation today. I called a friend that I haven’t spoken to in years about it. I saw Silver Streak there with him in 1977. Anyway, I remember that he had his photo in the time capsule. He said that he never heard anything about it being opened in 2000, as was the plan. Of course, by 2000 anyone involved was long gone. He said that he brought a photo from home to place in the capsule and does not remember anyone taking Polaroids of the kids. He remembers that kids were told to bring stuff from home.
I told my brother about my search and he immediately said that a friend of ours told him that the capsule was never officially opened, but that after 2000 somebody broke into it and stole everything. I put a call into this guy but have not heard back. I will ask if he knows this for sure or if it’s just something he heard. I’ll write back about what I find out.
As for the other theaters, I can’t remember which is which, but one located in the shopping center that, back then, had a Chili’s restaurant is now the Atrium, a live venue night club. Across the street is another theater. I remember it as being the one with the game room with TILT on the outside marquee. It is now the Tupac Shukar Center for the Arts, though it doesn’t look like that’s gotten off the ground. I went by there as well. The main part of the building looks to be filled with abandoned construction projects, but there was a sign of life in one small area on the right of the building. There were four cars in the lot. Down the street is the Hairston 8, which is still there, just closed with an “Available” sign out front. I wasn’t even aware that there was a fifth theater, or I don’t remember it, but my friend said there was another one further down Memorial towards Stone Mountain. I drove by where I think it was and found a shopping center with a section that looked like a “movie theater.” Part of it is now some retail store, part empty. On the empty part you can see the outline of a “Marshall’s” department store marquee that was removed, so if that’s the old theater building, it must have been a Marshall’s after the theater.
I’ll post any other news that I get.