Woodway's Regal Jewel movie theater, still commonly known by its original "Hollywood" moniker, will close for good Thursday as its parent company navigates bankruptcy. https://t.co/POBZf5hP2z

— Waco Tribune-Herald (@wacotrib) July 20, 2023

This was the theater we always went to until covid. The 3 or 4 times that we have gone to a movie since, we have gone to Cinemark. We have alot of memories taking the kids there when they were growing up. Hate to see it go. I wonder what will go there.

We've gone to movies there for a long time. Hate to see it go.

They could have saved it with a refresh/change over to smaller capacity with the "recliner" type seats.

I know movie theaters, especially post COVID, were not just flush with extra cash for capital projects like that...

Also, the AMC better take notice and make some adjustments of their own or they will not survive either.

I can't think of a compelling reason to go see a movie in the theater. Have felt that way for years before Covid. I am far from alone. Home theaters are an existential threat to the theater business, and as the price for a satisfactory system goes down, this problem will grow.

I honestly thought they had already closed around the time covid hit...

Grimm said:

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I honestly thought they had already closed around the time covid hit...

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me too

They were closed during covid 3/20 but they reopened in summer of 21.

Damn. Well the good thing is that it will likely become the next dollar theatre ie theatre where you don't mind buying popcorn. I still will miss it, though.

Perhaps I'll just opt to go to the Schulmann five.

Moondoggie said:

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Damn. Well the good thing is that it will likely become the next dollar theatre ie theatre where you don't mind buying popcorn. I still will miss it, though.

Perhaps I'll just opt to go to the Schulmann five.

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Lake Air twin was my jam until it wasnt

I was a 90s Waco kid, and when the two big theaters opened up it was a HUGE deal. Spent a lot of time at both in middle and high school.

There were a bunch of theaters for a while back then.

1. Hollywood jewel
2. Valley mills 16-screen theater
3. The 6-screen theater just a half mile from that one in that shopping center
4. The dollar theater in the back of the that shopping center where curves and Quiznos were
5. The two screen theater on Cobbs
6. The Lacy Lakeview theater

I may be missing a couple.

Only ever went there growing up if the show times didn't work at starplex 16. Never liked going there and always like galaxy star plex 16 on VM better.

Bear Doc said:

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T-REX said:

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Only ever went there growing up if the show times didn't work at starplex 16. Never liked going there and always like galaxy star plex 16 on VM better.

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Your showing your La Vega privilege here… haha

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lol I barely recall the bellmead theater which was located next to the old windixie. I think I watched the release of new hope there in the 90s lol.

T-REX said:

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Bear Doc said:

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T-REX said:

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Only ever went there growing up if the show times didn't work at starplex 16. Never liked going there and always like galaxy star plex 16 on VM better.

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Your showing your La Vega privilege here… haha

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lol I barely recall the bellmead theater which was located next to the old windixie. I think I watched the release of new hope there in the 90s lol.

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New Hope or Hope Floats?

BUbearinARK said:

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T-REX said:

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Bear Doc said:

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T-REX said:

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Only ever went there growing up if the show times didn't work at starplex 16. Never liked going there and always like galaxy star plex 16 on VM better.

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Your showing your La Vega privilege here… haha

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lol I barely recall the bellmead theater which was located next to the old windixie. I think I watched the release of new hope there in the 90s lol.

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New Hope or Hope Floats?

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the re-release

What was the theater called that was right behind the current Chipotle on Valley Mills just off Wooded Acres? I'm pretty sure I watched Home Alone 2 there in '92 which is one of my earliest memories.

I believe that was the Schulman. That one and a Plitt Theater opened around the same time I think, in about 86. Those two were the big theaters at the time (despite Schulman's very strange location) until the late 90s when Hollywood and the one on the corner of VM and Franklin opened. The Plitt Theater was in the shopping center right by where Jason's Deli is now (between where Franklin and Waco Dr intersect with VM). There was a pre super Walmart, Walmart there as well back in the day.

Chipoople said:

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I was a 90s Waco kid, and when the two big theaters opened up it was a HUGE deal. Spent a lot of time at both in middle and high school.

There were a bunch of theaters for a while back then.

1. Hollywood jewel
2. Valley mills 16-screen theater
3. The 6-screen theater just a half mile from that one in that shopping center
4. The dollar theater in the back of the that shopping center where curves and Quiznos were
5. The two screen theater on Cobbs
6. The Lacy Lakeview theater

I may be missing a couple.

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Plitt/Carmike twin-plex inside the Richland Mall and a second twin-plex out in the parking lot.

Lake Air Twin

Ivy Square Twin (closed /torn down late 80s/early 90s, I think, when the Schulmans built their 6-plex at Valley Mills/Lake Air-ish, your #4)

My prediction - given both Waco's history with this sort of thing and particularly what has happened to that area of Hewitt/Woodway - is that the movie theater coverts to doctors' offices akin to the old Target building. That area started to transition when the Rib Crib turned into a dentist's office. Now almost everything over there is medical or a bank.

That was very strange. The area was to be an entertainment complex with restaurants, shopping and hotels and the movie theater according to the plans for it in the late 90s. The Rib Crib came in a few years after the theater as well as a couple of hotels then inexplicably everything that came in after that was actually not an entertainment business or restaurant, with the exception of Hat Creek and a hotel that both went in over the past 5 or so years. Rib Crib left after only a couple of years. It was envisioned to be like 30-50 acre version of Centex Market place/Legends Crossing area.

rib crib was terrible and i'm convinced it killed anything wanting to be around it.

that area has direly needed restaurants/bars for a long time

hat creek and slowrise have been killing it. I expect union grove will too.

PartyBear said:

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That was very strange. The area was to be an entertainment complex with restaurants, shopping and hotels and the movie theater according to the plans for it in the late 90s. The Rib Crib came in a few years after the theater as well as a couple of hotels then inexplicably everything that came in after that was actually not an entertainment business or restaurant, with the exception of Hat Creek and a hotel that both went in over the past 5 or so years. Rib Crib left after only a couple of years. It was envisioned to be like 30-50 acre version of Centex Market place/Legends Crossing area.

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IIRC, that entire tract of land was originally owned by Hillcrest and was going to be their future expansion/relocation site, then a local R/E agent put together the tract at 35 and Hwy 6 and did a land swap with Hillcrest. Hillcrest built and relocated, but then shortly thereafter merged into Scott & White.

Back in 2019, Premiere Cinemas was considering purchasing that location from Regal but ultimately they didn't come to an agreement.

Not sure if they'd still be interested in coming back to the area but that's a possibility I suppose. They recently closed their Temple location and of course the dollar theater didn't return after COVID so they no longer have a Central Texas presence.

I think that location can work but yes it def would need some major renovations.

Mike E said:

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PartyBear said:

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Hate to see it go. I wonder what will go there.

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Quick. Someone tell Mike Copeland, the Waco COC and the Central Texas Reporter that the 'horse' is coming back.

Might want to alert the PD too!

{BTW, well done, sir}.

Both Regal and AMC are struggling corporately as well as going to the movies isn't the past time it used to be.

Add the influx of the AMC and Cinemark theatres, and Regal, which is now hidden behind a bunch of buildings, never had a chance. Plus, it was a Pepsi house. Nobody got time for that.

I'd like to see it converted into a second run movie house, though those seem to be failing now, as well. Still, back in the day, when the Hollywood opened, we'd go over to the old Schulman to watch second run movies for a buck.

Mike E said:

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PartyBear said:

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Hate to see it go. I wonder what will go there.

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That is awesome. Back in the days where there was a fight or murder every night on the corner of Hwy 6 and 84.

We saw Oppenheimer at an IMAX last night. Fantastic movie but I would have perfectly fine watching it at home on our 80 inch with a real bottle of wine. I hate to say it, but I have a difficult time seeing movie theaters as being anything but a novelty in 10 years, Unless, of course, millennials embrace the tradition, which I don't see happening.

yep, will be like drive ins...long gone

For much of the public, movie going has to be way more of an experience than just watching a movie. I personally don't dig the food angle but some have had success with it. For me, give me an elite viewing experience that I can't get at home.

Regal was doomed to fail with the addition of Cinemark. They hadn't put a penny into that place in at least 10-15 years. The only thing it had going for it was never crowded...which is generally not a good business plan.

Let's just bring back all the old Waco night clubs and put them together.

You could have 25th Street, Magic Music, Mr. B's, Midnight Rodeo...

Mike E said:

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PartyBear said:

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Hate to see it go. I wonder what will go there.

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This is top-tier