"I Am Always Remembering..."

I'm off work today and so Husband I may take in a movie this afternoon, which got me thinking about the last time we went. I realized to my shock and surprise that the 30-screen multiplex didn't have any coming attractions posters. When I was a young man, these helped you decide what you wanted to see either on the trip when you just went without knowing what you'd see, or to decide what you were looking forward to seeing the next time. That got me to remembering how we'd decide where to see a film, you'd buy a newspaper to check the movie listings to see where the film you wanted to see was playing. 

Back in the day, before multiplexes, I remember the downtown and neighborhood theaters with their huge auditoriums and only 1 screen. Those theaters had such great names... I remember The Mercury, The Adams, The United Artists, The Norwest, The Riviera, The Studio 8 (only one screen, but located off Detroit's famous 8 Mile Rd) and so many others. Then in the early 1970s along came the first multiscreen theatres. Here in Metro Detroit, the very first and one of my favorites was The Abbey 1-2-3, and yes it had 3 auditoriums! I recall thinking, "Wow, this is incredible... three films to choose from! Maybe we'll spend the day and see them all!

The Abbey 1-2-3 was an early multiplex that saw its heyday in the 1970’s and 1980’s. As you can see from the ad above, it opened December 22, 1972 to much fanfare. In the mid-80s, an additional auditorium was built, but due to setback requirement, it had to be added to the left side of the building. With that addition, it became the Abbey 1-2-3-4. However, that expansion created one of the most memorable features of the building that I still remember quite well. 

When it was built, The Abbey had large pylons  above each of it's three entrances, each with a 15-foot high neon number. These were situated across the facade at 20-foot intervals with the numerals 1, 2, and 3 arranged from the left to right. After the new auditorium was added in the early 80s, a new pylon was erected above its entrance on the far left corner of the building, also bearing a 15-foot neon numeral. The result of that expansion was a comical facade with giant neon numbers reading from left to right: 4, 1, 2, 3.

Later in the 1980s, The Abbey 1-2-3-4 4-1-2-3 was acquired by AMC, who rather than expand the building again, just divided the 4 existing theaters into 8 ridiculously narrow but long auditoriums. The old Abbey, subsequently named simply the AMC 8 soldiered on until May 31, 2001, when it closed and a brand new purpose built 16 screen AMC multiplex was opened 500 feet down the road. 

 

The old Abbey building sat vacant for a few years until it was acquired by and converted into a Micro Center computer store. Whenever I go there like I did a couple of weeks ago, when I first walk through the doors, I swear I can smell hot buttered popcorn! I have some vivid memories of seeing the latest films of the day (including "The spy Who Loved Me") in that ground-breaking theatre on a Saturday afternoon.

I am always remembering...