Cherokee Theatre
3861 Peachtree Road,
Atlanta,
GA
30919
3861 Peachtree Road,
Atlanta,
GA
30919
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Eastern Federal Corporation
Functions: Supermarket
Nearby Theaters
The Cherokee Theatre opened June 26, 1963 with Charlton Heston in “55 Days at Peking”. It was located in a strip shopping center called Cherokee Plaza located in DeKalb County about one block north of the Atlanta City limits. For the most part it was a second run house but would occasionally play a wide break first run movie in conjunction with other second run houses.
It was built by the H.B. Misielmann Company which later changed its name to Eastern Federal Corp. In its early days this huge theatre was a fine place to see a movie with its big screen, spacious lobby, and easy access from its big parking lot.
By the early-1970’s it was in a very run down and dirty state and was unable to draw large crowds due to the fact that most first run movie houses in Atlanta were located in this same area which made a second run house redundant for its neighborhood. In 1972 Eastern Federal Corp. completely remodeled the site and tried to make a go of it showing lower tier first run movies. This proved unsuccessful as the days of 900 seat single screen theaters were fading fast, and the location was closed in 1977.
It had a brief life as the second home of the Great Southeast Music Hall in 1978, but by 1979 it was closed for good. The Kroger Company took the site, which had been converted into an Eckerd’s drug store, combined it with store fronts on both sides, gutted the insides and reopened it as a grocery store.
Contributed by
Stan Malone
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Here is a photo of the Cherokee.
CHEROKEE THEATRE TICKET STUB.
View link
I would love to have that picture of the Cherokee, for my collection. Looks like Mr. Malone has it “spaceballed” unfortunately.
That theatre, and the mall itself has much history to it, especially of my youth.
I saw Hurry Sundown and Blowup (M. Antonioni) there, both around 1967.
Just north of what is today’s Phipps Plaza Mall, that little Cherokee Mall was
at the end of the known world for most Atlantans in 1967.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t there a jeans store next to the theater? An early GAP? I remember going to the theater and then buying jeans next door. At least I think it was the Cherokee. It was in Brookhaven, right? I am pretty sure this is the theater when the security guard pulled me out of the ladies room because he thought I was a boy. (I was a short haired 9 year old girl), but I am not sure. We went to the movies all the time and sometimes the theaters run together.
This opened on June 26th, 1963. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Closed 1977.