Wednesday, November 9, 2022

[That's All Folks] Tara Theatre to Show Final Four Films, Close Forever

The historic Tara Theatre (Regal Tara), one of the longest running, continuously operating movie theaters in metro Atlanta, is closing its doors forever.   There was speculation in 2020 that the Atlanta art house cinema – which opened on July 10, 1968 playing the re-release of the epic "Gone With the Wind – would, as a result of the pandemic, not reopen as other theaters had.  

Tara Theatre when it was temporarily closed in 2020

The theater did, in fact, reopen on May 21, 2021, but will now, according to the Regal website, show its final four movies Thursday, November 10.  

Tara Theatre was known to feature smaller, independent films.  Its final screenings are Call Jane, Decision to Leave, TÁR and See How They Run.  

In a prepared statement, Regal VP of Communications Richard Grover said this of the closure: “As part of our real estate optimization strategy, Regal has made the decision to close our Regal Tara theatre as we continue to position our company for long-term growth."  

Knoxville-based Regal Cinemas was in December 2017 acquired by British theater chain Cineworld for $3.6 billion, making it the second largest global cinema exhibitor, behind AMC.  This past September, however, Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. On October 31, Reuters reported that the company had reached bankruptcy settlements with landlords and lenders.  

Tara Theatre opened as a single screen theater called Loew’s Tara in 1968.  The 1,000 plus seat theatre was "twinned" in the summer of 1975.  In 1980, the theatre was sold to George Lefont who added a third screen to the east side of the building in 1983 and changed the name to Lefont Tara.  A few years later, Hoyts took over but soon sold to the second incarnation of United Artists Theatres. Under UA ownership the #1 house was twinned width wise, resulting in the current layout. United Artists was subsequently acquired by Regal Cinemas.   

The Tara Theatre was one of at least two theatres in metro Atlanta to be named for plantations from Gone With the Wind.  The other theater - Loew's Twelve Oaks Theater - opened in 1971 and was located in Buford Clairmont Mall (now Plaza Fiesta) along Buford Highway in Chamblee.  The former theater building still stands but was repurposed for non-cinematic purposes.  

Metro Atlanta is littered with former theatres, many of which have since been torn down or repurposed.  Demolished former theatres include Garden Hills Theatre, Akers Mill Theatre and Perimeter Mall Theatre, among others.  Toco Hills Theatre is now home to Goldbergs Fine Foods, while the former Lenox Square Theatre is now home to The Spa at the Elaine Sterling Institute.  

Atlanta-based Halpern Enterprises owns Cheshire Square (2345 Cheshire Bridge Road) where the Tara Theatre is located.  The site plan for the Publix-anchored center does not yet show the 20,470 square foot theatre space as available and it's unclear what, if anything, will become of the theatre building...but with it now being November, at least we know it won't become a Spirit Halloween store!  

Are you surprised to see Regal closed Tara Theatre?  What is your favorite Tara Theatre memory?  What would you like to see open in place of Tara Theatre?

Please share your thoughts below  

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Something is going on with the theater building at the mall at stonecrest maybe reopening. See what you can find out if anything.

Ham said...

Only went there a few times, but still a little sad to see a long-time theater close. I do have very fond memories of the theater at Lenox square although it was sort of maze like.

Emma said...

I'm really sad to hear this! I saw all kinds of cool movies with my mom there. (She's a total cinephile!) I very specifically remember seeing Howl's Moving Castle there. RIP Tara and I hope all the staff members affected by this closure are able to get back on their feet very soon!

Anonymous said...

Before the pandemic I would go to the Tara often. It was small but very well kept up and the employees were the best. Always enjoyed seeing a movie there. Haven't been back to a theater yet after 2020. I probably wouldn't chose Tara now just cause of all the car breaking in the area. Very sad how things have ended up.

S. Gresham said...

Question is will someone else step in and reopen it?

Anonymous said...

I switched from Regal after everything started opening again and mostly go to Phipps now. As a long-time Atlantan I stay loyal to places that sell Coke. I know it makes me sound contrarian, but who sells Pepsi in the town that Coke built? It’s like handing out bibles at a strip club. After a while, people go to a different place. Hopefully another movie house opens up there.

Anonymous said...

I saw the original Bad News Bears there.

Disneypal said...

It is sad to see it close but I guess I am not really surprised...seems every older business is selling now to make way for new condos. I will not be surprised if that is what ends up going up in that location. I will miss the theater...they would show movies that other theaters wouldn't.

Anonymous said...

Had not been there in a while. It was a good theater but like others have said: there just aren't a lot of movies that really appeal to me any more. I'm 50, grew up in the heyday of being thrilled to go see new movies from Sly, Arnie and others.

This is likely very valuable property and will probably become condos or apartments.

Anonymous said...

I saw lots of movies at Tara, including Caligula.
I don't get over that way much these days.
The Brave/Falcon night club was also in that center, where the Showcase Camera is now (if it's still there?)

Anonymous said...

this is what happens when a small theater sells to a big chain.

Anonymous said...

I love Art House theatres and I’m sorry to see it go. My most memorable experience was dragging my Spelman classmates there by train and bus to see Mississippi Masala starring Denzel Washington (before he became a household name) and Sarita Choudhury in the early ‘90s.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sad to hear this. All of my Cheshire Bridge area favorites are gone: Francos (the original in the '80s had best pizza ever), Varsity Jr., Alfredos, Roxx, and now Tara. I'll enjoy Nino's while I still can...

Anonymous said...

I'm sad to see it close but not surprised. They hadn't done any renovations to it since opening after the pandemic and all of the theatre smelled of mildew from water damage. Just like the Regal I-85 Hollywood theatre that's been neglected which may be the next Regal theatre to close (hoping and praying!!). Drive by and there are hardly any cars in the parking lot. Seems Regal doesn't want to make any investments in their theaters with so many people turning to streaming services - eventually movie theaters will be a thing of the past :(

Anonymous said...

I'm very sad to see how much the Regal I-85 Hollywood theater has gone down hill. Before the pandemic both the I-85 and Tara were my go to theaters. I may try Lefont Sandy Springs even though it's farther to go.

Anonymous said...

hey, don't forget South of France restaurant over there! and before Showcase, there was Farmer John's all you can eat restaurant. So I guess they'll get more condos, but it was more interesting 20+ years ago.

vespajet said...

As much as I hate seeing it close, it's hard to keep such an old theater open these days. I liked going there because it wasn't a megaplex overrun with kids. Back in the mid-90s when I started going there, there wasn't any sort of movie theaters here on the Southside playing the sort of less mainstream and cult films that places like the Tara, Garden Hills, and the Plaza do/did. When AMC opened Southlake 24 in late 1997, they offered (and still offer) some of these sort of films, although I would still have to go to the Tara from time to time because they were the only theater (or the closest one to me) showing a certain film. Probably my favorite memory from going to the Tara was when I saw "The Aristocrats" and about a dozen older folks walked out during it (I'm assuming they bought tickets based on the title and assumed it was some sort of British period piece...).

Anonymous said...

The camera store has been closed for a very long time if you look at the plot the movie theater and collectively camera store is a very large property that could actually withstand either a big box or apartment work play. The bank is due for a relocation or move, as it is very old and modernized. With all the apartments going up I would prefer stores and some kind of big box sticking the bank in the strip.

Anonymous said...

Pepsi is better though so...

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