Cobb Theatres 1,2,3
5701 E. Hillsborough Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33610
5701 E. Hillsborough Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33610
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cobb Theatres, General Cinema Corp.
Functions: Office Space
Previous Names: Eastlake Square Cinema I, II, III
Nearby Theaters
Located in the old Eastlake Square Mall on E. Hillsborough Avenue at 56th Street. The Eastlake Square Cinema I, II, III was opened by General Cinema on August 6, 1976.It was last operated by Cobb Theatres who closed it on December 7, 1996. The mall closed in 1998 and the entire complex was converted into office space.
Contributed by
Andy
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
I worked at the Eastlake Cinema back in the late 80’s. I worked with a girl from high school named Trish. I had so much fun during busy tickets sales and the line would wrap around the corner. I think ticket prices were $3.75 and we had no cash register. Tickets were on a big spool that came out from a punch button. Popcorn was sold in buckets and our lemonade was named Lotta Lemon. My favorite part was the cute pinstriped shirts and maroon vest and bowtie we had to wear. Movies playing around that time…Purple Rain, An American Tale…I also remember bartering our free tickets with the other mall employees…ORANGE JULIUS!! I don’t rememeber the manager’s name at the time. Bigger guy and really nice!! Maybe John?? I also remember we had a projectionist that never came out of the booth. Wow the stuff I can remember sometimes amazes me!!
MelodyP, Thanks for the memories! So nice to hear from another former Eastlake employee. It’s extremely rare to see comments from employees of various theatres in the Tampa area. So when an employee does post a comment it’s always a treat to read. Sounds like you had some fun times at Eastlake!
This was the movie complex that i went to see Star Wars at in 1977 for my birthday. It hold’s a golden treasure for my childhood memory. I have seen a ton of films at Eastlake Square, like The Changeling with George C. Scott, and Jaws 2. The late 1970’s were just a simple way of going to the movies, you were paying only 2.50, and giving a plain admission ticket stub. Right across the cinema was the Quarterdeck lounge and bar. I just do not like today’s movies, they are just full of computer graphic imaging and do not have that electricity of breaking new grounds like the 1970’s and 1980’s films did.
I remember going to this theater from the time I moved to Tampa in the early 80s, until the early 90s. My best memory was getting my brother out of class at King High to catch the opening of Return of the Jedi. We thought we’d gotten away with it until our dad opened the next day’s Tribune and there we were, captured in a picture!
Some films I remember seeing at Eastlake:
Halloween 3 (1982) Return of the Jedi (1983 – opening day) The Living Daylights (1987) Malcolm X (1991) Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
I have so many memories of Eastlake Mall, my father was the projectionist at Easlake Square 3 my entire childhood, and MelodyP, you’re not wrong! He never left the booth, his name was Bob. Me and my friends watched so many movies here! I watched my first rated R movie here, all of the Star Wars films, I even worked there when I was a junior in high school, John Flowers was the manager then and there was an English guy named Justin that was the assistant manager. I loved eating at Scottos pizza and Orange Julius! I bought my first pair of Air Jordan’s at Foot Locker and my first pair of parachute pants from Merry-Go-Round. Sure do miss that mall but it’s left me with a lifetime of great memories.
Closed as Cobb Theatres in 1996. Newspaper image added via Bud Clark.
I worked at Eastlake, As an usher, popcorn maker and marquee changer. I helped open it with the manager Waldo Beck. General Cinema fired everybody when the manager got caught stealing from the concession stand.
The actual closing date is December 7, 1996.
Opened on 6th August 1976 on screen 1 with “Harry Walter go to New York” and “Gator” and on screen 2 with “Swashbuckler” and “The winds of autumn” and on screen 3 with “Survive”.
When I worked for General Cinema Eastlake, Corporate set up an employee private viewing on Thursday night of Star Wars, the very first Star Wars movie. All employees from the other local General Cinema houses were invited, we all showed up with food and coolers. So we were the first to see Star Wars in Tampa. A good time. If only the hands of time could be turned back.