Ridgewood Theater Takes a Bow
It looks like the only movie theater left in Bushwick and Ridgewood has finally bit the dust. Forget fresh produce — the movie theater “shelf,” so to speak, in 1970s Moscow was probably better stocked than in New York today. The closing leaves all of North Brooklyn — Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Bushwick — with no local options for watching first-run movies in a theater. Not to mention large swathes of Queens.
The theater opened in 1916, and for generations served Bushwick and Ridgewood. “It is believed to be one of the oldest continuously operated theaters in the country, having never closed for renovations during its 89-year run.”
Sadly, the only thing I can imagine leasing 17,000 sqft is another chain drug store. Hopefully, whatever happens, the facade remains intact.
March 18th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Sad to hear about the Ridgewood theater closing. I can remember seeing old Vincent Price 3D horror movies there when I was a kid. Back then we had 4 theaters to choose from (Ridgewood, Madison, Broadway and Marcy theater). You know, I think the link you included might be wrong. It said that the Ridgewood never closed for renovation. In fact, back in the early 80’s it closed (I think it might have been damaged in a fire) for a while. When it re-opened, it had changed from a beautiful single Vaudeville era theater to a boxy multiplex. I was very disappointed.
March 18th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I feel literally sick to my stomach over this. Another link to the world of my childhood is gone forever.
Tony, there was also the Oasis, although if you were a Bushwicker you might not have considered that “local” (it was deep in Ridgewood territory).
March 18th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
This is the theater where I saw my first movie, Conan the Barbarian when I was a kid.
As a teenager, this theater became pretty gross. I remember the last time I went I literally nearly vomitted at the stench emitted from the women’s bathroom.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:29 am
The Madison, The Parthenon, The Oasis even the old Wagner ( Wyckoff near Dekalb) which showed porn in its dyign years are gone. I am sad to see the Ridgewood go as it was the last of them . I remember as a 10 or 12 yar old seening Dom Deluise at the Ridgewood . The Ridgewood when I was a youngster used to bring posters to the local barbershops etc with the weeks movies mentioned on them. Always a double feature .
And the movies changed weekly ( if I recall on a Wednesday). We could walk to all of them .
Movies also ran continuously. You bought a ticket and could sit through it twice if you had that desire.
March 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Ridgewood Theater was by far the crappiest movie theater I’ve ever been to, but I still loved it. It was the only theater within walking distance, so I went there all throughout my childhood.
I wish the owners would renovate it instead. Most people don’t like it because of poor maintenance. But considering there are no other theaters close by, renovating it shows a lot of potential. I’m going to miss it.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Here’s an article from the Daily News on the Ridgewood’s closing. Apparently, they “may” reopen the 3 balcony theaters. Hopefully that is true. The two orchestra level theaters appear will be comverted to a store. While this is sad, hopefully they will keep the historic plaster walls in place. And to have the three balcony theaters operating is better than the whole theater being abandoned to movies. We can hope:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2008/03/25/2008-0
3-25_movie_palace_shuts_fate_of_1916_theater_.html
March 25th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Jeremy, for some reason the link broke up, here it is again, but if it doesn’t work this time, can you edit the link to work? For some reason it breaks up between the -03-25 part of the link when it gets posted and makes the link:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2008/03/25/2008-03-25_movie_palace_shuts_fate_of_1916_theater_.html
March 27th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
http://cinematreasures.org/news/18787_0_1_0_C/
I tried to put these guys in touch with another nonprofit organization that has a compatible purpose, but I don’t think anything has come of it yet. There’s little I can do as an ex-pat, but I encourage those of you who live in the community today to get behind this if you can.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Queens Chronicle
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19429874