Buckhead Art Cinema

StanMalone on October 11, 2016 at 3:14 pm

I went to this location many times as a youngster when it was the Wendler and Roberts Drug Store. The attraction was an old fashioned soda fountain in the back of the store. I think that the theater opened in 1968 or 69 as an “Adult Art” theater. The fare was European style art films rated X although from what I heard from the projectionist they were really soft R.

In 1970 they had a brief change in policy running the type of standard “art” that Peachtree Battle and Ansley Mall Mini Cinemas were having some success with. The premiere feature was something starring Lee Majors as a Viking. My only visit here was during this time and the feature was some forgettable Swedish art effort.

In less than a year it was back to the old fare and before long they were advertised as XXX. Most of what I know about the Buckhead I learned from the long time union projectionist there who left to come to Lenox Square when I was the manager there. He said that the ownership paid above market and treated the employees well since in those pre security camera days skimming was a big problems in operations like this that could be run by one person.

In total, this location was in business for about 30 years or so. It closed when Buckhead became a big weekend bar scene destination and was soon gutted for the first of several bars that would occupy the spot. In 2005, this whole area was assembled and demolished for the billion dollar Shops Of Buckhead development that was abandoned half finished when the 2008 recession hit. The space on the corner of Peachtree and West Paces Ferry which was originally The Millers Book Store and was rehabbed and incorporated into the new development might might include the space the theater occupied, but it is hard to tell now.