Holiday Cinema

947 Volunteer Parkway,
Bristol, TN 37620

Unfavorite 2 people favorited this theater

Additional Info

Previous Names: Parkway Plaza Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Holiday Cinema

The Holiday Cinema was opened on September 12, 1973. It was twinned in the late-1970’s or early-1980’s and was still open in 1986.

Contributed by Jack Coursey

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Ripshin
Ripshin on May 31, 2021 at 3:01 pm

The actual address for this former theater is approximately 947/949 Volunteer Parkway. The strip center is still there. Even the movie poster holders are on the wall! I have attached some photos. When it was built, it was as an addition to a former A&P Grocery Store. I went to one movie there, and the twins were tiny.

Ripshin
Ripshin on May 31, 2021 at 3:11 pm

If you go to Google satellite, and zoom in on the shopping center, you can tell where the twins formed an “L” shape. The adjacent, small business to the left (currently a style salon in 2021) was added after the theater was built. Parkway Plaza is now the name of the “shopping center,” which started as a self-standing A&P Grocery, probably in the 50s.

Ripshin
Ripshin on June 16, 2021 at 2:30 pm

Is that Dr. Evil poster really from 1963? I ask, because I thought the theater was built later than that. Also, I guess it wasn’t originally a twin? It’s twin theaters were really small, so even prior to splitting, it would have been a small venue. I also see what looks like a “G” rating in the lower left. The rating system wasn’t created until late 1968. May 10, 1968 fell on a Friday, but the rating system wasn’t utilized till months later. May 10, 1974?

That theater definitely had a late 60s/early 70s vibe. Dr. Evil’s shows did run from around 1959 until the early 80s(?).

Ripshin
Ripshin on July 27, 2021 at 3:10 pm

The two films in the photograph came out in 1983. They obviously misspelled “Scarface.” That theater was split in the late 70s or early 80s. Building twins (two NEW theaters together) was huge in the 60s, but SPLITTING an existing auditorium in two gained steam in the mid-70s, especially in small towns/cities. I attached another photo, showing how I believe they split the existing theater.

JRHagan
JRHagan on July 27, 2021 at 3:52 pm

I’m guessing the person who juxtaposed the “B” and the “R” is the same person who took the picture before the manager caught on

Ripshin
Ripshin on November 23, 2022 at 2:42 pm

It was still operating in 1986, as I took my younger sister to see “The Great Mouse Detective.” We sat in the smaller of the twins, and it was the definitely the most minuscule theater I have ever stepped foot in, before or since. Probably 100 seats. Ten rows, five seats on either side of the aisle.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 21, 2023 at 3:55 pm

This opened with an open house on September 9th, 1973, and opened on September 12th, 1973. Grand opening ads posted.

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.