A Movie Theater Renaissance in Center City
For the longest time, Center City residents have not had a local place where they can go to see the newest, hottest movies. The last movie theater in Center City, the Boyd, shut its doors in 2002. For those keeping score at home, that’s fifteen years ago! What happened to the theaters of Center City? In short, it’s been an issue that developed over the last century.
With a new movie theater opening soon, Center City will have its first place to watch new movies since 2002.
Interestingly, there was a time when gorgeous movie palaces vied for space on the streets of Philadelphia’s downtown district. These elegant theaters were graced with statues, gilded ceilings, and lavish details meant to inspire a feeling of opulence and grandeur in the viewer. These movie theaters were all up and down Market Street and Chestnut Street, and attending one was an occasion that people usually took to dress up in fancy clothes. The theaters were so prominent that Hollywood movie stars would show up for premieres at them, the same way that they do today in Los Angeles. There were other, smaller theaters throughout the city neighborhoods, but they couldn’t hold a candle to the grandiose theaters of Center City.
So, what happened?
As the twentieth century rolled along, these movie theaters were not as popular as they once were. Television was growing as a medium, so fewer people in general went to the movies. There was also the fact that upper- and middle-class residents took flight to the suburbs, where they could enjoy newer, state-of-the-art theaters. Unappreciated and abandoned, these grand theaters closed one by one.
But… something exciting is happening. For the first time in almost two decades, a new movie theater is coming to Center City. As per the Philadelphia Business Journal, “this year AMC Theaters announced that the renovated Gallery mall downtown—now dubbed the Fashion District Philadelphia—would host a first run movie theater.” It will be exciting to again be able to go to a show in downtown Philly.
