Barrie Uptown Theater facts for kids
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| Former names | Imperial 8 Cinema |
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| Address | 55 Dunlop Street West Barrie, Ontario L4N 1A3 |
| Coordinates | 44°23′18″N 79°41′30″W / 44.388434°N 79.691774°W |
| Public transit | 5A, 5B, 8B |
| Opened | 1937 |
The Barrie Uptown Theater was once a popular movie theater in downtown Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It was first known as the Imperial 8 Cinema. This building opened its doors in 1937. It later became a special place for the Barrie Film Festival. The theater had 8 screens, but after it reopened, only 5 of them were used to show movies.
Contents
A Look Back at the Imperial 8 Cinema
How the Theater Looked in the 1960s
Back in the 1960s, this movie theater was a very different place. It had one huge room with a giant screen. The seats were made of soft, burgundy velvet and could be pulled up. There were lights along the aisles to help people see. A uniformed usher, like a helpful guide, would even show you to your seat with a flashlight! There was also a large balcony upstairs where more people could watch the show.
Why the Imperial 8 Cinema Closed
The Imperial 8 Cinema was part of a movie chain called Stinson Theatres, which no longer exists. In February 2009, the Imperial 8 Cinema had to close. This happened because of problems with the building itself. There also wasn't enough parking for moviegoers, and fewer people were buying tickets.
The Barrie Uptown Theater Reopens
New Ownership and Exciting Changes
After being closed for several months, a local businessman named Mark Porter bought the theater. He gave it a new name: the Barrie Uptown Theater. It reopened on November 27, 2009. The new theater offered comfy reclining seats, making movie watching even better! In December 2014, Mr. Porter shared that he planned to sell the building to people who wanted to build new things there.
The Final Years of the Theater
The property was eventually sold for a new building project. The Barrie Uptown Theater stopped showing regular movies on October 31, 2019. Even though it closed for daily films, the people who organize the Barrie Film Festival still hoped to use the theater for their events for a while longer. However, the theater finally closed completely in 2021.
