Cinema III
3249 Topeka Boulevard,
Topeka,
KS
66611
3249 Topeka Boulevard,
Topeka,
KS
66611
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This theater should be listed as demolished. I have uploaded pictures of the demolition to the photo page.
Grand opening ad posted.
Drove by the site this morning. Demolition work was in progress, the west third of the building (theaters 2 and 3) are gone. Took some pictures, will try to get help uploading. The Fox White Lakes theater is still 2 blocks south, also needing a wrecking ball. Boarded up doors and windows, no roof on the former lobby, and the marquee face has been smashed.
The end is here. The Topeka Capital-Journal reporter Keishera Lately, reported in today’s edition that the former GCC movie theater is being demolished. GCC opened the theater in 1974 and operated it until 1987, when Crown Cinema ran it until closing in 1994 at the end of the lease. For the past several years it has been the Wild Horse Saloon. Julie Pamplin Castaneda bought the business in April and plans to relocate. The building is owned by a company called 911 Walnut located in Parkville, MO. Sterling Scott, owner and landlord of the property announced plans for a $15 million dollar project to build a strip retail center in back of the former theater, with two restaurants in front. Chick-Fil-A has confirmed their new store, and Whataburger is expected to be the other. According to the article, Mr. Scott wants the city to provide tax incentives for the project. “We’re trying to follow through with the city’s wishes and redevelop things on that side of town and make some positive impacts, and I think we’re going to.” R.D. Johnson Excavating Co is handling the demolition. The Applebees restaurant that was just east of the cinema was torn down several months ago. The Richman Gordman department store building, which was also an original tenant in 1974, has been acquired by Mainline Printing as an additional location for their business.
I’ve done a little research from the Capital Journal archives to come up with a history of this theater which I remember from my youth:
General Cinema Corp opened the Topeka Boulevard Cinemas I-II on Wednesday October 16, 1974. The opening movies both featured Omar Sharif: “The Tamarind Seed,” and “Doctor Zhivago.”
The west auditorium was closed briefly in spring 1981 and was split. The Topeka Boulevard Cinemas I-II-III reopened Friday June 19, 1981, showing “Superman II,” “Bustin' Loose,” and holdover “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia.”
Crown Cinema Corp took over operation of the theater from GCC on Friday April 3, 1987. Advertising renamed Boulevard 3.
After opening their new West Ridge 8 in July 1993, Crown Cinema turned the Boulevard 3 into a $1.25 second-run theater on Friday September 10, 1993. This competed with Crown’s Gage 4, which had become a discount house in 1988.
A Capital Journal article on Wednesday Sept. 21, 1994 said the Boulevard 3 would close when the lease was up. Crown Cinema owner Richard Durwood stated that Topeka was unable to support two discount theaters.
Crown Cinema closed the theater on Thursday October 6, 1994. The final films were “Speed,” “Blankman,” and “The Flintstones.”
As of 2015, the building is still in use as a country and western themed nightclub.
Topeka Boulevard Cinema was originally a twin,as stated, but it was the larger auditorium that was split to make a tri-plex. I managed it for a couple years around 1985-86. The theater did very well competing against the Gage 4. Back to the Future (1985) sold out for weeks. Topeka Blvd was a major drag for teenagers on Fri/Sat nights, and we ran a very successful midnight film series during the summer, with Rocky Horror every weekend plus a mixture of rock and horror films.
I will Favorite it since I once worked for GCC.Other GCC folks should Too.
Thanks Joelweide.a once proud company,GCC.
This theatre was built by Boston MA based General Cinema in the early 1970’s. The Topeka Boulevard Cinema originally was a twin and later the second auditorium was divided for a total of three houses. The interior was classic GCC featuring light gray seating and gray walls. This was the only GCC theatre in Topeka, GCC had other venues in Wichita, Kansas. The pictures that I uploaded show that the building and street sign are still in use, the building as a country western club and the street sign for the clubs advertising.