Chubby's Pub Cinema and Restaurant
276 Main Street,
Norwich,
CT
06360
276 Main Street,
Norwich,
CT
06360
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Loew's-Poli
Firms: Creighton & McGuire
Previous Names: Loew's-Poli Theatre, Midtown Theatre, Cinema Midtown, Lord Cinema
Nearby Theaters
The Loew’s Poli Theatre was opened on July 13, 1949 with Esther Williams in “Neptune’s Daughter”. In 1955 it was renamed Midtown Theatre and closed for a refresh in 1968 it reopened as the Cinema Midtown on June 18, 1968 with Jack Lemmon in “The Odd Couple”. It was closed on July 8, 1972 with Raina Barrett in “Oh! Calcutta!”. Around January 20, 1978 it reopened as the Lord Cinema which closed on October 23, 1988 with Matt Dillon in “Kansas” & John Cusack in “Eight Men Out”. On June 30, 1989 it reopened as Chubby’s Pub Cinema and Restaurant with Hulk Hogan in “No Holds Barred”. It was closed on January 1, 1991.
The building was slated for demolition, which was deferred.
Not to be confused with and earlier Loew’s-Poli Theatre on Broadway (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures)
Contributed by
Roger Katz
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Here is a 1980 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/r6p4ph
Some of the information in comments above is erroneous. The history of Norwich theaters is a bit confusing due to shifting of names, but this house was not the former Strand or the Yale.
There was a Strand Theatre in Norwich that was condemned in 1944. Ed Lord rebuilt it (to plans by architect Charles H. Abramowitz) and reopened it in 1946 as the Lord Theatre. It was not the same as Lord’s Midtown, as a June 8, 1957, Boxoffice Magazine item said that Ed Lord had shuttered the Lord Theatre for the Summer, leaving Norwich with only two operating theaters, Lord’s Midtown and the Stanley Warner Palace. So the Lord Cinema/Midtown/Loew’s Poli was not the same house as the Strand.
The Yale Theatre in Norwich is mentioned in issues of Boxoffice from 1958 to 1961. Ed Lord sold the Lord Theatre in 1958, but the Boxoffice item about it said he would continue to operate the Lord’s Midtown. Then a January 30, 1961, Boxoffice item says that “Isadore and Sam Berkman, owners of the modernistic Midtown Theatre, have resumed personal operation, with the relinquishing by the Markoff Brothers of the lease on the first-run theatre.” The item goes on to say that the Midtown was one of the newest theaters in Connecticut, having been built a decade earlier and originally leased by Loew’s Theatres before being operated by Ed Lord. Lord subleased the house in 1955, according to the November 5 issue of Boxoffice, and renamed it the Midtown.
So, this was not the Yale Theatre, either. An April 3, 1961, Boxoffice item mentioned the closing of the Yale Theatre, saying it had been acquired from the Edward Lord interests some years earlier, so it must have been the former Strand/Lord Theatre. The Yale closed on July 1, 1961, to make way for an urban redevelopment project.
There was a Loew’s Poli theatre operating in Norwich in the early 1940s, as evidenced by several Boxoffice items of the period, but the name was apparently moved to the new house. The construction of this new Poli began in 1948, according to a couple of Boxoffice items from the time, and the July 9, 1949, issue said that Loew’s new Poli in Norwich would open on July 13. I’ve been unable to find out what became of the earlier Loew’s Poli.
There’s also a bit of confusion about the earlier Poli, as in 1942 the former Broadway Theatre was rebuilt, and a few issues of Boxoffice say it reopened as the Loew’s Poli, but then there are many Boxoffice items from the mid-1940s still referring to the Broadway Theatre, and also to the Loew’s Poli, so I don’t know if the names were used interchangeably or if there were two different theaters operated in Norwich by Loew’s at the time.
I’ve also been unable to find when, or if, Ed Lord took this house back, but he took over the former Palace Theatre in 1964, twinning it in 1969. He also opened a twin house in the former location of Barney’s on Main Street in 1976. That might be the Lord Twin Cinemas seen next door to the former Lowe’s Poli/Midtown in the 1980 photo ken mc linked to in the comment immediately above.
O.K. Joe.
Saw this the other day while on a bike trip and sent in pix to Cinema Tour. The cool marquee is still there, but empty. Awesome tilework/mosaic poster holder.
The office on the main floor is the State of CT, Norwich Parole and Community Services office and the corner office is the State of CT Dept of Revenue Services. In the rear around the bldg at the back of the parking lot is the Norwich Vet Center for pets. There’s a sign in the back way up on top of the stagehouse with a stairwell leading fro the lot way up to the stagehouse door. (Streetlevel behind the theater.)
1st Anniversary. Item in Boxoffice magazine, July 29, 1950:
Poli in Norwich, Conn.,
Fetes First Milestone
HARTFORD—-Loew’s Poli Theatre in Norwich, Conn. observed its first anniversary last week with showings of “Duchess of Idaho,” starring Esther Williams. A huge birthday cake in the theatre lobby was provided by Joe Boyle, manager,.
The opening film last year was “Neptune’s Daughter,” also starring Esther Williams, and Boyle invited patrons to sign a giant post card addressed to the star and which was forwarded to her from Norwich.
I’m not sure when the business changed hands, but my mom ran the Midtown Theater in Norwich, and the State Theater in Jewett City during the mid to late seventies. I remember at the time Ed Lord was running the Palace. What a grand place the Midtwon was; 1250 seats, dressing rooms, that huge stage, wall mirrors lining the entry into the lobby. I remember my mom would only charge $.99 for a movie.I have such great memories of watching movies, concerts, and shows there. We sure could use more places like that around today.
Ken Mc’s pic link was the Midtown Theater, at least thats what it was called in the 70s.
1968 photo as Cinema-Midtown added via Bob Gagliardo. 7/15/49 photo as Loew’s Poli Theatre added. Same curved marquee and windows as the Overview photo.
I was just in Norwich earlier today for the Irish Parade. I saw the building with the remaining Marquee and to the left was still a fancy promo Poster Box. I know that the building left to it was demolished and is a parking lot. Was the beautiful auditorium inside the remaining building or was it behind that building. I could not get an answer but a person told me during the parade where another theater once stood and is not another parking lot. What is it with historic theaters that they mostly become surface parking lots.
The post-War Loews Poli would be the replacement for its aged Broadway Theatre in 1949. The project was announced in 1948 and would be built to the architectural plans of New London’s Creighton and McGuire. The Loew’s Poli Theatre was opened on July 13, 1949 with Esther Williams in “Neptune’s Daughter”. Loews would sell its Broadway Theatre to auto dealer Charles R. Simon.
With television impacting operations and the Paramount decree impacting the entire industry, Loews sublet the venue to independent Edward P. Lord in October of 1955. He changed the name to the Midtown Theatre (no dash) resuming operations. Lord bought the local Palace Theatre moving out of his subleasing agreement in early 1966.
On April 27, 1966, John E. Hoddy, who operated the Jewett City theater and Mansfield drive-in, assumed the remaining term of the Midtown Theatre’s 20-year lease and retained its name. The Midtown ran to the end of its lease on April 26, 1969 with Hoddy buying the theatre building previously owned by the Berkman Brothers (who owned the adjoining Sears retail store building).
After a refresh, the venue resumed operations at Cinema Midtown (no dash) with the film, “The Odd Couple,” on June 18, 1968. Cinema Midtown ceased after July 8, 1972 showings of “Oh! Calcutta!” with downtown’s fortunes fading compared to suburban centers. Edward P Lord bought the venue performing upgrades.
Under Lord’s tenure, it became the Lord Cinema at some point- very likely on January 20th, 1978 - operating until October 23, 1988 closing with “Kansas” and “Eight Men Out.“ Finally, on its last leasing agreement cinematically, it became Chubby’s Pub Cinema and Restaurant. Chubbys came in on June 30, 1989 with “No Holds Barred” boasting of an entertainment center under one roof concept. It opened just in time to celebrate its 40th Anniversary in July of 1989. Bar, dancing, and movies with food was its attraction. That worked until January 1, 1991. The building was slated for demolition which was postponed indefinitely.