![]() ![]() In 2005, GKC was sold to Carmike Cinemas. Sometimes, the film itself jammed up and the show would be delayed by 10 minutes. ![]() Often, the film started smack dab in the middle of a preview and the vertical hold was off. ![]() Back in the glory days of 35 mm, GKC Theatres all seemed to have the worst projectionists of any cinema chain. Then again, both theatres were owned by the George Kerasotes Corporation, aka GKC Theatres, which started after George had a feud with his brothers over union projectionists. Audiences complained about the Horizon and Mall Cinemas' barely-sloped floors and how hard it was for some - especially short people - to see the screen, especially if there's a taller person up front. It was also in the late 1990s that bigger cities such as Detroit and Grand Rapids were getting brand new cinemas complete with something Traverse City would definitely not see for another 20 years: stadium seating. However, most of the auditoriums were cramped and uncomfortable. ![]() It overtook the Mall Cinemas as being northern Michigan's biggest cinema with 10 screens. In 1996, the Horizon Cinemas opened at the aforementioned Outlet Center, which was struggling at the time. The Traverse Bay is now a dinner theatre while the State was reopened by the Traverse City Film Festival in 2007 and transformed back to being a one-screener. Eventually, both were transformed into sub-run dollar houses before closing for good. Traverse City's two other cinemas, the Traverse Bay in Acme and the State downtown were also twins. The Mall Cinemas themselves replaced another twin-screener a few miles down the road, the Plaza, which was demolished to make way for a bigger parking lot at Meijer. Before the Mall Cinemas opened, all theatres up north only had one or two screens. When it opened, it was northern Michigan's first true multiplex. It had three department stores - JC Penney, Target and Hudson's (which opened later in the year) - plus 100 stores and a massive food court complete with a carousel.Īnd oh yes, the Cinemas, which opened with eight screens and added a ninth a few years later. To the people of Traverse City, it was the most-modern mall the town had ever seen. It was also when the Mall itself opened for business. Big's acoustic anthem "To Be With You" and movie goers lined up to see "Wayne's World", "My Cousin Vinny" and "The Lawnmower Man". Radio stations blared out heavy metal band Mr. When the Grand Traverse Cinemas opened in March 1992, TV sets were tuned to Roseanne, Murphy Brown and The Simpsons. Rumor has it that the former Mall Cinemas will be converted into retail with Dick's Sporting Goods being a likely tenant. With the 14-screen Cherry Blossom Cinemas opening up soon at the new Buffalo Ridge Center - formerly the Horizon Outlet Center - Carmike will allow the Mall Cinemas' lease to expire and will move out at the end of the year. The announcement was made by a spokesperson at Carmike Cinemas, the theatre's owner. The Grand Traverse Cinemas at Grand Traverse Mall in Traverse City is closing at the end of the year. The news was that my childhood movie theatre - or at least one of them - is closing up shop. Last week, I received some sad news: the 1990s had ended.īecause of the news, the teenage side of me teared up. ![]()
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