(MCH) Showcase Cinemas Sterling Heights Traditional Geocache
(MCH) Showcase Cinemas Sterling Heights
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Michigan Cinema History:
Showcase Cinemas Sterling Heights
35100 Van Dyke - Sterling Heights, MI
OPEN: 1974 | CLOSED: April 2004 | SEATS: Unknown
The Marquee when Showcase Cinemas was here.
Showcase Cinemas was a franchised chain of Movie Theaters owned and operated across the country. Many of these replaced older, aging "movie houses" or Drive-In Theaters and usually had Multiple Screens (at least 5 here) and were the first of what was considered the "Multi-plex" type of Theaters.
Front of the Showcase Sterling Heights
The Showcase Cinemas Sterling Heights opened in 1974 as a 5-screen theatre and it's popularity began to grow almost immediately. The area was still relatively new with Sterling Heights only having been incorporated 6 years prior to the Showcase opening. Families could go here and have a good afternoon or evening of entertainment that was relatively low-cost, even at that time.
As the Showcase was being built (1973)
The Showcase Cinema was a Macomb County destination for years. It was among the first multi-screen cinemas in the area. By 1980, it had been expanded several times and had 10 screens.
Newspaper Ad - 1978
Demand for more choices in the available films led to further expansion of the Showcase from it's 10 auditoriums to eventually topping-out at a 'whopping' 15 total. This expansion was completed prior to 1988 and definitely met the needs of the movie-viewing public for many years after that.
Competition was fierce for the business of the movie-going public and i
ts been said that the Showcase was first affected by one of the two newer theatres that had been built in 1999 along Hall Road (M-59) near Mound. Business was also affected here by the construction of another theatre on Schoenherr near Lakeside Mall. One of those locations has since closed and is now a church.
Concession Stand
The newer theatres featured things like 'stadium seating', upgraded sound and digital projection. These were improvements that had not been available when the Showcase was built and later expanded. The seating at the Showcase was not practical to attempt to upgrade it to 'stadium-style' and it would eventually help contribute to it's closing.
Many folks felt that these "older" theatre locations like the Showcase, almost felt like "shoe boxes with green rocking chair seats" and even though they had been built recently (within the prior 20 years), weren't as appealing as the newer ones and just could not compete with what the public was now demanding for their money. Many locations (not just the Showcase chain) would close due to the lack of profitability to their owners.
The Marquee, when there was 11 auditoriums (1985)
One of the auditoriums (facing screen)
The property did not sit empty for long, plans were in the works to redevelop the site to include new retail outlets as well as more restaurants. These plans included a new state-of-the-art 'chain' theatre with "state-of-the-art" projection and sound. The complex would also include more shopping as well as other restaurant and 'fast-food' locations.
The original Showcase Theatres facility had been built by some longtime Macomb County developers who ironically enough, would later demolish and redevelop the site that the Showcase had sat on at the corner of 15 mile and Van Dyke for so many years.
One of the auditoriums (facing the exit)
Enjoy the hunt as much as i've enjoyed the hide. :)
Please be aware of your surroundings and the muggle population that is ever-present around here.
The Cache is designed to bring you here... and give you some history on a piece of the areas cinematic past.
IF you have any more information or details on this theatre,
please email me and i will include it in the description.
Thank you.
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