Riverview Cinema - St. Clair MI 

Address: 211 Vine St
City: St. Clair
State: MI
Zip: 48079
County: St. Clair
Open: 1972
Capacity: 350
Owner History: Jerry Lewis Cinemas [Network Cinema Corporation]
Theater Type: Mini Theater (Jerry Lewis - United General)
Number of visits to this page: 6999
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

The Riverview Cinema was a theatre located in downtown St. Clair’s Riverview Plaza. It started as a Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972 and appears to have closed on December 30, 1990. It was still standing with its signage into the 2020’s used an office space.

The St. Clair Jerry Lewis Cinema was reportedly the first to begin building in Michigan with its groundbreaking ceremony on December 20, 1971. The Jerry Lewis circuit was a fast-growing chain of franchised and automated mini-theaters all over the nation. This location was made possible by the City of St. Clair’s 1967 urban redevelopment plan called the St. Clair Riverview Plaza. That project led to the demolition of much of the city’s old downtown including the St. Clair Theatre which closed and its entire contents auctioned prior to its demolition in February of 1968. [Cinema Treasures dallasmovietheaters]

Update from webmaster: A site visit on May 14 2022 reveals the old theater is still intact pretty much. I was able to get some interior shots through the window also.

Info Updates:
9/6/2010 - R. M. Glowczewski
As of 9-6-2010, it is still abandoned. I doubt the lawyer still does business there, if he is even still alive. It seems like an estate probate case or something.
The capacity of the theater is 108 people. If one were to walk up to the main entrance under the marquee and look in, you'd be witness to a portal to the past. There is a ticket window outside the door to the right, 1960's red-orange carpeting in the lobby, "dying" artificial plants, the candy counter is still there with a lone box of lemonheads in it, complete with 1960's "orb" lighting above it, there is an original "Space Invaders" arcade game in there with the quarter door ripped open, a 1970's Coke soda fountain, a spiral staircase leading up to the projection room in the corner, and like the previous poster wrote, a "VCR Rental" display stand with vhs tapes still displayed on it.
My favorite though is a concession price sign on the wall that asks 40 cents for a box of candy, 80 cents for a pop, and 90 cents for a popcorn.

Oh man, would I love to own this place.
9/19/2004 - Greg Donahoe
The Riverview opened in the late 1960s and closed in 1990 with "Pacific Heights" the last title on the marquee. A lawyer bought the theatre in the early 1980s and added a movie rental business in an attempt to keep the place afloat. The lawyer still owns the facility and maintains his office there. A very nice fellow, a few times during the 1980s hed run the Saturday matinee even if I was the only one who purchased a ticket. I actually had the place to myself several times! One can only hope that the theatre might one day open again.
 Photos:30
Riverview Cinema - Sept 13 1972 Article
Sept 13 1972 Article
Riverview Cinema - July 2002
July 2002
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - May 14 2022
May 14 2022
Riverview Cinema - Times Herald Aug 15 1971
Times Herald Aug 15 1971
Riverview Cinema - Times Herald Aug 17 1971
Times Herald Aug 17 1971
Riverview Cinema - Dec 22 1971 Ground Breaking
Dec 22 1971 Ground Breaking
Riverview Cinema - Nov 12 1972 Ad
Nov 12 1972 Ad
Riverview Cinema - 06 Mar 1973 Complaints
06 Mar 1973 Complaints
Riverview Cinema - Aug 29 1971 Article
Aug 29 1971 Article
Riverview Cinema - 1973 Article On Port Huron Area Theaters
1973 Article On Port Huron Area Theaters
Riverview Cinema - Dec 31 1970 Article
Dec 31 1970 Article
Riverview Cinema - July 15 1972 Article
July 15 1972 Article
Riverview Cinema - Jun 2 1970 Article
Jun 2 1970 Article
Riverview Cinema - Jun 4 1972 Ad
Jun 4 1972 Ad
Riverview Cinema - Oct 3 1969 Article
Oct 3 1969 Article
Riverview Cinema - Sep 22 1971
Sep 22 1971
Riverview Cinema - Times Herald Aug 27 1971
Times Herald Aug 27 1971
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