Cabarrus Theatre

4 Union Street,
Concord, NC 28025

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Showing 1 - 25 of 36 comments

raysson
raysson on September 16, 2014 at 2:23 pm

The CABARRUS was still cranking out hit movies during the late-1960’s all the way into the 1970’s and early-1980’s. It closed around 1983.

raysson
raysson on September 16, 2014 at 2:22 pm

There was also a Downtown Concord moviehouse called THE CINEMA too that was about a block up the street from the Cabarrus.

Artman
Artman on November 28, 2012 at 12:56 pm

After speaking with a historians in Concord, there is no proof that the theatre opened as, or ever was the Carolina. It opened as the Cabarrus and when it closed it was still the Cabarrus.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on August 14, 2010 at 11:39 am

“STROKE OF FORTUNE” left the “R” out,guys.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on August 14, 2010 at 11:38 am

Look all this talk about this theatre,you need to write to Empire Publishing Inc, Box 717 ,Madison N.C. 27025-0717 or call 910-427-5850 and order the book,if they have anymore, called “STOKE OF FORTUNE” by William C. Cline,the adventures of a motion picture showman,this 257 page books covers all the old theatres in CONCORD.Cline got his start in the business at the Cabarrus Theatres.Plenty of pictures from the 40’s.

atmos
atmos on March 13, 2010 at 6:50 am

Theatre opened 19 June 1939 and the architect was Erle G Stillwell.

steviliam
steviliam on June 1, 2009 at 4:23 pm

A recent event revived my memory of the Cabarrus: YOUTUBE featured a short subject, said to have been produced in 1967, which predicted such things as the Internet, giant flat television screens and tiny camcorders. It was so accurate in its forecasts of the technological future that some people suspected a hoax. I remember seeing this feature at the Cabarrus Theater in Concord in 1967, when it was shown with the classic Michelangelo Antonioni film, BLOW UP!

Patsy
Patsy on December 20, 2006 at 9:30 am

Does anyone have a recent theatre news out of Concord NC?

Patsy
Patsy on March 7, 2006 at 10:02 am

Thomasina: Thanks for your help as I’m trying to view the work being done at the Paramount while visiting friends in Concord who live on S. Union. I recall reading an article about the work being done with name(s), but I don’t recall where I read the article no if I even saved it. BTW, I was glad to see that there is work being done at the former Cabarrus Creamery location as that building dates back to the 1920’s.

UAGirl
UAGirl on March 7, 2006 at 8:56 am

PS: Yes, that totally contradicts what is posted in the description of the theatre. My goof on the first. The addresses for Union Street hip hop’d a lot over the years.

UAGirl
UAGirl on March 7, 2006 at 8:54 am

The Paramount is located across the street from the Cabarrus in the shopping arcade that is currently under renovations.

Patsy
Patsy on March 7, 2006 at 7:22 am

Lacceee: I believe when the bank bought the former Cabarrus theatre the bank used it for storage so probably removed the seats and I’m sure your grandmother is a wonderful theatre source so do continue to ask her questions.

Patsy
Patsy on March 7, 2006 at 7:17 am

Lacceee: Thanks for this information and do you know anything about a theatre in Concord called the Paramount as it is being restored today? I have an address of 6 N. Union, but not sure if that is correct. The location of the former Cabarrus is 22 N. Union Street.

Lacceee
Lacceee on March 6, 2006 at 9:14 pm

Just thought I’d post and let everyone know I have first hand knowledge of the Cabarrus Theater having spent many hours there as a child. My grandfather, WM Morgan owned the Cabarrus Theater until the 70’s I think so I know it intimately. Spent many hours as a kid running up and down the steps and can remember getting into trouble lots of Saturdays for dropping popcorn from the Balcony. My grandfather passed away in 1993 but my grandmother and aunt are still alive. My aunt was the manager and run the concession area of the theater. As far as I can remember when it was closed they moved some of the furniture from upstairs out and its still at my grandmothers house stored upstairs. The projectors were also disassembled and sold after my grandfather passed away to a collector. But the seats and everything else remained when it was sold. I’ll question my grandmother and see if she can remember anything else. My grandfather owned many drive ins in that same time period such as Mt. Mourne Drive In Mooresville Nc, Albemarle Drive IN Albemarle, NC and Locust Drive In Locust NC. I can remember on Monday mornings riding in the car with my aunt and grandmother to replace the placards that were put up the week before with new advertisments in all the gas stations and stores for all the drive ins. Jeez how me and my cousins use to HATE Mondays because we were in the car for hours and hours with my aunt getting in and out to put up a new placard. Well I’ve took up enough space for now. If anybody has a specific question I’ll see if I can find out.

Patsy
Patsy on February 27, 2006 at 12:49 pm

I just visited Concord and tried to find the location for the former Paramount Theatre which is listed on Cinema Tour, but did locate the former Carrabus/Carolina Theatre/First Charter Bank building. Could someone who has more information on the former Paramount perhaps add the theater to CT? Thanks.

Patsy
Patsy on February 12, 2005 at 10:35 am

Jim: Fine cinema treasures!

JERamseur
JERamseur on February 12, 2005 at 10:17 am

I salvaged, and still have, the Cabarrus Theater front doors when FCNB converted the Cabarrus Theater to offices. Later I acquired two glass signs that show the movie time schedule and prices.

UAGirl
UAGirl on January 3, 2005 at 9:29 pm

Charles, you are correct.

Patsy it would be very hard to get in there. Like I said several posts up I was very lucky to get in there before 9/11.

BTW, am I missing something in your post? All I am seeing are quotes that I wrote several days ago.

UAGirl
UAGirl on January 3, 2005 at 9:24 pm

Charles,

You’re like 85% correct. :) There are several other ghost theatres that hung around for a few years in the buildings that used to be theatres. Then there were a few fly by nighters that took residence.Concord also had several negros-only theatres. I’m typing it up as a word document. If you’d like a copy give me a e-mail. It’s rather large.

One note, the Newton-Conover theatre is located and hour north of the Newtowne 1 & 2 in Conover,NC. That’s like two and half hours away from Concord,NC.

Here is a link for my girl the UA/REG Carolina Mall Cinemas 8 . AMC Concord Mills 24 is located in Charlotte,NC.

Patsy
Patsy on January 3, 2005 at 8:44 pm

“You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors. That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.” The interior sounds really unique and special, but if security clearance is needed to get to the back I may never see it! How did you get inside before it became a pass key bank?

You can still tell where the box office used to sit and the current receptionist desk is the concession stand but modified. The brilliant Art Deco curvatures in the ceiling exist as does the domed lobby and brass railings. To the right of the desk is a comissioned letter by, I believe Paramount Studios, that contains well over 50 autographs of then famous stars and directors.

That is really all you can see from the lobby because you need security clearance to get to the back.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on January 3, 2005 at 8:43 pm

The Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of the Cabarrus Theatre as 700. The FDY, 1950 lists a seating capacity of 1,056.

Patsy
Patsy on January 3, 2005 at 8:36 pm

Thanks guys! Thomas: How does one go about seeing the framed signatures if the bank is a pass key only building? I take it the seats, screen are gone, but what in the world do they use that huge auditorium area for? When we drove around to the back we could see the immense size of the building! Now that you have explained further we’ll return to check out the former theatre scene in Concord. We have a dear friend who lives on S. Union and so I plan to ask him if he and his late wife ever went to a movie in these theatres.

UAGirl
UAGirl on January 3, 2005 at 8:19 pm

Patsy

  • It wasn’t quite 5:00 so I tried the front doors, but they were locked.*

Yeah, it will always be “locked” because after 9/11 First Charter made that operations center employee pass only. It’s not open to the public. The auditorium was divided into two floors. Luckily they save the old style balcony steps as a way to access the top floor. The signatures are located in the second set of doors on the right side of the entrance. Keep looking,you’ll find them, but remember this is a secured bank building. They might take it the wrong way if they saw someone glaring in to find the framed signatures.

Also wanted to find the other former Concord theatre…..

If you mean the first location for the Cabarrus theatre then you weren’t too far away from it. The bricked up building across from the Concord Hotel is the theatre. To the right of it sits the Star Theatre which now houses the community planning offices for Concord.

Patsy
Patsy on January 3, 2005 at 7:38 pm

Thomas: I just spent some time in Concord and stopped to check out the now First Charter Bank/former Carrabus Theatre on Union. I see it sits between a Baptist Church and the Hotel Concord. We drove around to the back/side of the building and could see that it was a theatre due to its size and general structural design. It wasn’t quite 5:00 so I tried the front doors, but they were locked. I couldn’t see the framed piece (commissioned Paramount letter) with signatures so that must be within the second set of doors. Also wanted to find the other former Concord theatre, but didn’t print those comments for reference! Since we didn’t know where the police department was located we didn’t find the other theatre location. Does this location have regular business hours for anyone to enter the lobby and look around. I’d love to know if the theatre (seats, etc.) are still in the auditorium area or is it being used as some sort of storage as sometimes happens?

UAGirl
UAGirl on January 1, 2005 at 1:57 am

Charles

I wasn’t doubting your hobby just posting an observaion.

Yep, I am UAGirl but due to me closing out my RR account (thank you creepy college “friend”) and forgetting my old password I was unable to continue to log in as that name. I’ve been with the theatre chain for 8 or so years and have been collecting local information for about 9 so you’re miles ahead of me.

Have you found any pictures of the black only theatre in the Concord/Kannapolis area? I have found one picture of a theatre that is now a funeral home and that’s it.

If you wouldn’t mind could you drop me a mail at ? Thanks! :)