Maple Hill Cinema - Kalamazoo MI

Address: 5290 W Main St
City: Kalamazoo
State: MI
Zip: 49009
County: Kalamazoo
Open:
Capacity:
Owner History:
Theater Type: Shopping Center - Early Multiplex
Number of visits to this page: 11395
Disclaimer:

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General Information:

Source: TB

This theater was built around the same time as Maple Hill Mall on the other side of the parking lot and opened shortly after the mall did in late 1971, I believe the theater opened around March or April of 1972. It did well through the 70s and into the 80s, but by the late 1980s it started to get kind of run down. It went belly up around 1996 or so, then sat there rotting and empty (including an arson fire at one point) for the next several years until it was finally demolished in 2004 (along with a good chunk of the mall itself).

Info Updates:
6/1/2019 - Michael
Best childhood memory happened here. I was 10 years old and Superman the movie opened Christmas 1978. It was, I believe, January 1979 and the last week Superman was showing at the theater. My mom called me in sick to school and we took the bus to the Cinema I II III. We arrived late and started watching when Clark kicked the football. My mom explained to the theater staff her kids missed the beginning and they graciously let us stay and watch the beginning of the next showing. On the way out my mom purchased a Superman the Movie souvenir book which I still own 41 years later. Thanks mom, RIP, love you!.
1/17/2019 - Susan
This is a long shot since I’m just coming a across this post. My father was the manager of the theater for years in the 70’s. I was just a kid & those are the best memories! I remember sneaking into R rated movies & getting spanked for doing so! (I was in grade school ??) Streaking was popular & occasionally they’d run through the theater. Escape to Witch Mountain was shown there & the theater gave away a motor home. Man all the candy & popcorn I wanted & Star Wars constantly! If anyone has any pictures or anything about the theater I’d love to see them! I have a few but not as many as I wish. Thanks!.
4/18/2015 - Bryan
This is my first memory of going to the cinema, 1976 I would have been 3 years old. My family went to see Midway in Sensesurround. The Speakers would make the entire theater shake. Half way though I had to be pulled from the movie because it was too much for me. My mom and I sat in the lobby for the rest of the movie waiting for my father. I believe when it opened there were only 2 screens and then later they split one of the theaters to make it the Maple Hill Cinema I II & III.
2/15/2005 - Brad Adams
Orginally opened in 71 or 72 as a General Cinema twin, one theatre was split in 78. Ran as a first run theatre until early 90s. I worked there in 1980, some of the movies were Xanadu, The Shining, Coal Miners Daughter, Friday the 13th, Fame and Blue Lagoon.
 Photos:2
Maple Hill Cinema - July 2002
July 2002
Maple Hill Cinema - July 2002
July 2002
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