Center Point 6

Center Point Six was a six-screen multiplex located next to the Queensbury Shopping Center in northeast Birmingham, at 700 23rd Avenue Northwest, at the corner of Carson Road. It was opened by Cobb Theatres on June 10, 1983, on the same day as its sister cinema, the Hoover Square 6.

The Building

The theatre was a stand-alone structure that featured four large auditoriums with stereo sound, with screens for both flat and scope (or "super 35mm") projection capabilities. It also contained two smaller auditoriums with only mono sound and only a flat screen. Center Point Six also included a "Cobb Superstar Gameroom." Located adjacent to the gameroom was a large workshop that facilitated the video game division for all area theatres.

Location

Center Point 6 was built adjacent to the Queensbury Shopping center, approximately one mile from Highway 79 and three miles from Center Point Parkway. In the early 1980's, most of the area along Carson Road from Bridlewood to Sunhill Road/Jefferson State was cleared off for development. However, only the small parcel between Jefferson State and 23rd Avenue was actually developed, and the rest of the area has remained mostly untouched for nearly three decades. As the area never developed as planned, the location eventually proved to be a disadvantage not only for Cobb, but also for all of the neigboring buisnesses, including Jack's, Burger King, Sneaky Pete's, Big "B" Drugs and Food World. Although called "Center Point", the theater is actually in the Huffman section of Birmingham, only one block from the city limit.

History

At some point in the late 1980's, the success of Center Point Six and its nearby rival in Center Point, the Consolidated/Carmike Bama 6, had drawn most of the business away from Cinema City 8 in Roebuck. As a result, Cobb changed Cinema City to a second-run theatre that charged a discounted admission price.

Upon the opening of the Festival 12 in 1989, attendance at Center Point 6 (as well as that of Bama 6) began to decline. As a result, Cobb eventually decided to close Cinema City (early 1990's) and later it changed Center Point to a second-run theatre in the early 90's (circa 1993-94), charging only 99 cents for admission. The price changed within a few months to $1.50, and in 1996 it was increased to $1.75.

Center Point 6 continued to operate until the summer of 1997, when Cobb Theatres sold all of its screens to exhibitor giant Regal Cinemas. Regal decided against keeping the location running, so the theatre's last day of operation was the same as the old Cobb Theatres company, July 31, 1997. Regal did continue to use the property for a little while longer, making use of the video game workshop which continued to service video games for other area locations, until the company began contracting that service out to third party vendors.

The building sat vacant until the early 2000's, when it was bought by a local church. It now houses the Walking on Water Church.

Opening Night

Friday, June 10, 1983

• War Games (7:00, 9:30)
• Octopussy (7:00, 9:45)
• Trading Places (7:30, 10:00)
• Psycho II (7:45, 10:00)
• Flashdance (7:45, 9:45)
• The Man With Two Brains (7:45, 9:45)

References

• Alabama listings at cinematour.com
• Evans Criswell. Historical Information:Alabama:Birmingham at Movie Theatre Information.
• Regal Cinemas' company summary report on Cobb takeover