Crossroads Cinema
6180 Broadway,
Merrillville,
IN
46410
6180 Broadway,
Merrillville,
IN
46410
2 people
favorited this theater
General Cinema opened Crossroads Cinema, the last of three twins in the Northwest Indiana area on April 20, 1973. It’s opening night films were “Charlotte’s Web” and “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean”. The theater, located in Merrillville, was an instant success as Merrillville was just building up the entire area.
In 1991 GCC decided to close the theater and sold it to two buyers who had previously worked there. On September 18, 1992 the Crossroads Cinema became a dollar house that was mildly successful. Due to a falling out between the two owners the theater was closed in 1997 but was purchased shortly thereafter by another former employee who operated it until closure.
Unfortunately, the area is not as nice or safe as it once was and the theater has been robbed recently.
The Crossroads Cinema was closed on October 29, 2006 and was demolished in April 2008.
Contributed by
John
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Dee, I never said the area was unsafe but that it isn’t as safe as it once was. I know the owner of the theater and he acknowledged that the theater has been robbed twice in the last year. I worked there for 4 years back in the 80’s and never once was the place robbed. I think that would qualify as not being as safe as it once was.
The Crossroads was one of 3 area twins (the others being Ridge Plaza and Dunes Plaza) GCC opened in Northwest Indiana. Crossroads was home to many of my moviegoing experiences when I was growing up including: “Executive Action”, “The Seven Ups”, “The Four Musketeers”, “Lenny”, “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud”, “Airport 1975”, “The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3”, “Murder By Death”, “Oh God”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and the list goes on and on. It was a nice place to visit and I hear the place has been done up some and looks pretty good these days. Sadly it is the only one of the 3 original theatres still left as the Ridge has been demolished and the Dunes sits in decaying ruins.
I drove by the theater tonight and it was dark. A call to the theater recording announced that Crossroads ceased operation after its showings on October 29th.
I had grown up in Merrillville.. and where that theater is… is not that safe. It’s safety has declined greatly during the 90’s.. and now.. I have no clue (since I haven’t lived there since 1999) but I do know that Merrillville is just getting worse and worse overall… which is why I fled.
I grew up in Porter county and went to Merrillville alot. All i can say is compared to all the cities in Porter county Merrillville is not safe at all. Porter County also has a nicer bigger theater then any in Lake county in the Portage 16 IMAX which opened January 2007.
I happen to be in the area so I took a look inside and it already looks decrepit. The concession stand is still there with some displays still on the back counter. The rest benches still sit against the window but the remainder of the lobby is bare. One of the theater entrance signs still has GRIDIRON GANG posted. Ceiling tiles are falling or missing. It looks bad. The poster case has a poster for AKEELAH AND THE BEE with a COMING SOON above it. I also understand that the former owner removed all the seats and equipment and sold it even though it all belonged to the landlord of the Plaza where the theater sits. The way the theater is set up, attached on one end leading to all the other businesses sitting east to west, I don’t think they can tear it down. Perhaps the walls will be torn out and it will be used for retail space or something. The marquee is looking bad too. The Crossroads Plaza sign at the top of the marquee blew away this summer in a storm and the rest is peeling. I imagine that will be brought down soon.
Despite my prediction above the Crossroads has been torn down. I drove by last night and only a small part of one side is still standing and should be down in the next day or so. It’s a shame as this was one of the theaters of my youth. Interestingly the marquee is still standing – at least at this moment.
I miss this theater every day, it was a major part of my life for a decade!
This opened on April 20th, 1973. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Became a discount cinema on September 18th, 1992. Article:
Found on Newspapers.com