Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Richmond, VA Area Theater Question

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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-01-2005, 06:25 PM:

This probably is more appropriate for Cinema Tour, but I cannot seem to retrieve my password.

Anyone familiar with theaters in the Richmond, Virginia area?

Re the (now closed, I believe) Midlothian Theater run by Litchfield in the '80s (and I think later on by UA)... was this located in the town(?) of Midlothian, or within the city limits of Richmond? I believe its address was 7903 Midlothian Turnpike, but I can't make an exact determination using a MapQuest search.

Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 10-01-2005, 08:49 PM:

Yes, it is closed now. UA closed it down about 5 years ago and it's now a church. It was located in Chesterfield County, a couple of blocks from the city limits and from the also now closed Cloverleaf Cinemas. The building is still there and is now used by a church although there are still signs in the parking lot that say "Theater parking only."

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-02-2005, 05:35 PM:

Thanks for the reply, though I'm not sure the question was answered.

So where is the theater located? Was is it in Midlothian, or was it in an unincorporated part of the county? Where did the locals describe it as being located? Where did the newspaper ads describe it as being located? (The one ad I've seen describes its location simply by its "7903 Midlothian Turnpike" address.) I mean, it had to be located "somewhere," doesn't it?

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 10-03-2005, 01:04 AM:

The theatre is on Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield County Va. This is an extremely heavily traveled thorofare connecting Richmond to the part of the southwestern suburbs of which the unincorporsted village of Midlothian is part. Originally constructed in the late 1800s by private developers there was at one time a toll for its use. Tolls ended in the early 1900s. The villiage of Midlothian is about 6 miles west of the theatre site. Saying it is on Midlothian Pike is all the description locals would need to know its general location.

Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 10-03-2005, 02:12 PM:

quote: Bill Enos
Saying it is on Midlothian Pike is all the description locals would need to know its general location.

And saying it's on the Eastern end of Midlothian would alert many people to avoid it. This particular section of highway is considered "dead" as many businesses have left due to rising crime. The Cloverleaf Mall just down the road has lost most of its stores and will probably be knocked down next year.