Hoover Square 6
Hoover Square Six was a six-screen multiplex located in the Hoover Square shopping center on Highway 31 in Hoover. It was opened by Cobb Theatres on June 10, 1983, on the same day as its sister cinema, the Center Point 6.
The Building
The theatre was an anchor tenant of the Hoover Square Shopping Center, which faced east. It featured four large auditoriums with screens for both flat and scope projection capabilities. It also contained two smaller auditoriums with only a flat screen. All auditoriums were equipped surround-stereo.
The box office was a completely enclosed room, equipped with several "Automaticket" machines. The box office was accessible only through the main office, which was situated directly behind it. The office opened into the main lobby. The walls and carpet of the lobby and auditoriums originally had a blue and brown color scheme. Lining the walls of the lobby were many "one-sheet" (poster) cases. Leading out from the lobby through a side door on the south side of the lobby was a "Cobb Superstar Gameroom."
The theatre underwent a major renovation in the early 1990's, in which all the projection and sound equipment were upgraded. The automaticket machines were replaced by a modern computer-run system. The walls, carpet, and concession stand formica were all refitted to follow a more "Cobb-ish" look, with a simple blue, white and blush color scheme. An art-deco(?) sillouhette of Charlie Chaplin was hung on the middle wall above the office door, matching the style of other Cobb locations. The gameroom was eliminated, and the doors were sealed off, as the space was converted for more retail units for the shopping center. Video game units now lined the walls of the lobby, in keeping with the new trend in Cobb theater planning. The video game units could be changed, but would keep a uniform appearance in standardized encasements that were attached to the wall.
History
At some point after the opening of the Galleria 10 in 1988, Cobb converted Hoover Square to a second-run theater. It initially survived the Regal Cinemas takeover in the summer of 1997, and continued to operate until Regal closed the theater on June 11, 1998.
Opening Night
Friday, June 10, 1983
- Octopussy (7:00, 9:45)
- War Games, (John Badham, director) (7:00, 9:30)
- Trading Places (7:30, 10:00)
- The Man With Two Brains (7:45, 9:45)
- Psycho II (7:45, 10:00)
References
- Alabama listings at cinematour.com
- Evans Criswell. Historical Information:Alabama:Birmingham at Movie Theatre Information.
- Regal Cinemas' company summary report on Cobb takeover
- Carlton, Bob (July 28, 1997) "Cobb Dims Lights on 50-Year Run", The Birmingham News
- Carlton, Bob (June 12, 1998) "Hoover Square 6 Theater Closes", The Birmingham News