Parkway Three
1286 Fletcher Parkway,
El Cajon,
CA
92020
1286 Fletcher Parkway,
El Cajon,
CA
92020
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This was opened by the Sterling Recreational organization on January 19th, 1973, with three screens. Grand opening ad posted.
To clear the air a little bit…yes, the theatre mentioned here is indeed not what became today’s Regal IMAX cinemas. The triplex was next to what is now the Parkway Bowl on Fletcher Parkway, a few blocks from where the Regal is now. I have been to this theatre, and indeed the auditoriums were small, by today’s standards. The screen I saw (at least one auditorium) had stereo sound (sounded like AM stereo).
Today a Boardwalk indoor amusement park is on the former theatre site. In fact, if you look closely in most of the rooms, you can detect where the former auditoriums were.
I worked at this theater late 1973-1974 for Mr. Pern(?)who was our manager then. Good man. I ushered & worked behind the snackbar. Earned enough to buy parents' 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass! My first job, except babysitting. Friend got me the job.
The Parkway Bowl (1280) did indeed predate the “Three” by just over a decade. The theater (1286) was added to the western end of the property in 1973. Just prior to the opening of the United Artists 1-2 & 3 Parkway Plaza (official name – and strangely not represented here) down the street. If I’m not mistaken, I believe you could actually enter the bowling alley from the theater lobby (and vice versa).
This house opened as the Parkway Twin in early 1973. It was located on the former site of the Parkway Bowl, according to Boxoffice of February 5 that year. The original configuration was one auditorium seating 242 and a second auditorium seating 484. Boxoffice gave the address as 1280 Fletcher Parkway.
The Parkway three was part of the origional Parkway Plaza mall. The mall still stands,now another Westfield Shopping Town. The threatre was located on the southeast corner of the structure, where Jc Pennys is today. The Parkway three closed in the early 90’s durring a renovation/expansion project.
Shortly, another thaetre in El Cajon opened on Magnolia the Kirkorian. Now, also closed, it was open for roughly 10 years until the new Parkway Plaza 20 plex opened in 99'.
The bowling alley was around in the fifties, so probably not the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/5codhh
The Parkway Bowl is listed variously at 1280 and 1286. It may be the former theater.
http://www.parkwaybowl.com/