University Square Cinema I, II & III
615 College Avenue,
College Station,
TX
77840
615 College Avenue,
College Station,
TX
77840
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: ABC Interstate Theatres, Carmike Cinemas, Cineplex Odeon, Plitt Theatres
Architects: William Kneer
Firms: Kneer & Hamm
Previous Names: Cinema Twin I & II, ABC Cinema Twin I & II, Plitt Cinemas
Nearby Theaters
The Culpepper Development team purchased the Circle Drive-In at the corner of University Drive and S. College Avenue and in 1971 created the University Square Shopping Center. Anchored by Skaggs-Albertson and Mitchell’s Department Store, complete with hat and cane inside the newly opened Skaggs-Albertson. In Stage Two of the center, College Station / Brazos County was getting its first hardtop theater in 33 years when Texas National Theatres Circuit announced the Twin Cinema I & II. It would be fully automated with Eprad equipment and architects were Kneer & Hamm from Fort Worth. It was the circuit’s sixth multi-screen and their strategy was to target cities which had aging one-screen downtown theaters.
The theater opened August 10, 1973 with Walt Disney’s “Mary Poppins” and Ryan & Tatum O'Neal in “Paper Moon”. Cinemas I and II had identical 350-seat auditoriums. Just three months later, the venerable Interstate Theatres Circuit took on the location on November 23, 1973. It was a period when the circuit was ABC/Interstate and the venue was named the ABC Twin Cinema.
The theatre became a Plitt Theatres when Plitt Holding Circuit took over the ABC/Interstate Circuit in 1978 for $49 million. The theater expanded to a third screen on May 27, 1983. After Plitt ceased operations, the theater continued to its 20th anniversary under Cineplex Odeon and finally Carmike. The theatre closed on June 21, 1995 and was used as a lazer tag from 1996-1999. It was then partially repurposed for a neighboring business. Part of the shopping center has been razed but the theatre section remains in 2024.
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dallasmovietheaters
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
3 screens on May 27th, 1983. Ad posted.
Later operated by Cineplex Odeon, and finally Carmike until closing on June 21, 1995.
The cinema building is still there…for now. Only about half of the center was demolished. It also served as TJ’s Laser Tag from 1996 to 1999.
Based on the ads that have been added and pinpointing it on Google Maps, the address of 315 College Ave is more accurate than 300 University Dr.