Loews Route 18 Theatre

Lake Avenue,
East Brunswick, NJ 08816

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Loews Theatres, Sony Theatres

Functions: Retail

Previous Names: Sony Theatres Route 18

Nearby Theaters

Loews East Brunswick - Auditorium

The Melody Mall Shopping Center was built in late-1969. The Loews Route 18 Theatre was at first a single screen that opened on March 4, 1970 with exclusive of screenings of “Cactus Flower” starring Walter Matthau. Seats, curtain, and lobby wallpaper designs like that of the remodeled Loews State Theatre in NYC, with lobby containing pink and white wallpaper of silent film stars. Theater hard ticketed for “Paint Your Wagon” in 1969 road show.

Managed for first ten years by Melvin Messenger, old school Loews Manager from Buffalo, NY theatre.

It was twinned on June 13, 1973 and reopened with “Pat Garret and Billy the Kid” on both screens. Closed in the mid-1990’s when a large megaplex opened on Route 1.

It was converted into a K & G Men’s Store and by 2020 had been demolished.

Contributed by RobertR, Gregg Thompson

Recent comments (view all 16 comments)

JerseyGeorge
JerseyGeorge on February 4, 2006 at 10:54 am

The UA Turnpike Indoor/Outdoor was not the theater on Route 1 in North Brunswick. Rather, it was located a very short distance south of the Loews Route 18 – you could see the Indoor/Outdoor from the Miracle Mall parking lot, which did indeed have a Crazy Eddie’s at one time. The UA theater on Route 1 in North Brunswick was the Brunswick Drive-In.

markp
markp on January 16, 2008 at 10:33 pm

Another of the many theatres I was a projectionist. Worked here at various times between 1988 thru 1994. Huge twin, had almost 700 seats in each house. Nice big Cinemascope screens, even after twinning. I remember the summer of 1994 when “Forrest Gump” played in twin 1 to sold out shows for weeks. Theatre was equipped with 2 Simplex X-L projectors and 2 Christie Autowind 2 platters.

VincentPrice
VincentPrice on October 11, 2008 at 6:12 pm

Worked here from 1988 to 1989. Cool place to be. Always had decent movies. I worked concession stand on the first day of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. What a crazy day.

NickyG
NickyG on January 6, 2009 at 11:19 am

Recall as a higher end/slightly pricier place…Saw Human Factor in 70s and Top Secret in 80s…go go bar called Talk of the Town was nearby.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 17, 2010 at 2:53 pm

Any Photos anybody?

rivest266
rivest266 on October 22, 2016 at 5:09 pm

This opened on March 4th, 1970. Grand opening ad with a drawing of the theatre can be found in the photo section.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 23, 2016 at 11:39 am

June 13th, 1973 grand opening ad as a twin also in the same section.

Guodone
Guodone on October 16, 2020 at 10:11 am

I saw The Buddy Holly Story here when it was first released.

markp
markp on January 9, 2021 at 3:35 pm

I was in East Brunswick for the first time in years the other day. I did not even recognize the area. The entire shopping plaza that housed the theatre, as well as the theatre appears to be gone. All new builds. I did not see any remnants of the old theatre building.

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