After 35 years in business, Movieworld said goodbye to Eastern Queens (and Nassau County) yesterday, but not before throwing a sweet party.
The mall above MW. Macy's was to the left of the Toys R Us (far right). There are stairways that lead to MW below. |
The "Coming Soon" posters were replaced with photos of fans and former staff members. |
MW was the busiest I had ever seen it — not even when I saw The Force Awakens was it like this. (Of course, I had never been there on a Friday or a weekend, but still...) A live DJ spun music from 1983, the inaugural year, and admission and snacks were rolled back to 1983 prices: $2.50 for a movie, $1 for popcorn and candy. I cheated on my diet by buying a large Kit Kat, but it was the last one I would ever buy there, so it was for a good cause!
The cafe |
There was a raffle, in which the prizes included posters and dolls and things like that. I had arrived late and didn't get one (not that I needed an Incredibles 2 poster that badly), but I stayed longer than I had planned. I just wanted to soak up the atmosphere.
The publicity for the party placed a big emphasis on the diversity of MW's audience. I had always thought Douglaston was a white neighborhood, and maybe it is, I dunno, but their multi-culti fans were a point of pride for MW. Indeed, I saw blacks, whites, Latinos, Filipinos, youngsters, old people, a little bit of everybody. So good on MW for encouraging that sort of thing.
The box office |
Like I said before, I hadn't come to this place for long but I'm glad I discovered it when I did. If I had grown up in Douglaston or Bayside or Oakland Gardens, I have no doubt I would have come here all the time.
MW still believes they'll find a new location in the future. Here's hoping they do.
Even Northeastern Queens is very diverse these days,including my neighborhood (Oakland Gardens.) Movieworld is my local theater, and I'm sad to see it go. :-(
ReplyDeleteYou know, OG is one of the few parts of Queens I've never been to? One day I'll have to take a look.
ReplyDeleteSorry you couldn't make it. The party was really good.
If there must be a last hurrah, that is the way to do it!
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