The end of another era in Beaufort has arrived. The Plaza Stadium Movie Theater is now closed for business after a 44 year run.
It was announced last August that plans for the redevelopment of Beaufort Plaza Shopping Center were taking shape and the Plaza Stadium Movie Theater was being torn down to make way for a Publix grocery store in its place. At the time, no timetable was put in place on the theater’s actual closing by owner, Paul Trask.
After receiving multiple messages through Facebook telling us it had closed, we decided to take a drive over to see for ourselves.
We found a ‘closed’ sign on the doors to the theater as well as a blank marquee indicating that no movies are playing, or that none would presumably be playing. The interior of the theater has gone through changes with tables, chairs and part of the concession area already removed.
Coincidentally, for the few minutes we were there, no less than 5 cars pulled into the lot…and a few frowns were noticed on a few faces.
Attempts to reach management on Saturday were unsuccessful.
There has been no date set as to when the theater is coming down. As of the last week of December it was still open, business as usual.
The movie theater, along with the automotive garage behind it and other retail space will be demolished to build the 48,000-square-foot grocery store, according to documents filed with the city.
Upgrades are planned to the remaining storefronts, including resurfacing sidewalks, painting facades, new LED lighting and replacing signs, the documents show.
The 12,000-square-foot movie theater was built in 1975 and now that it’s gone that leaves just the Highway 21 Drive In (named the #2 drive in the America) as the only spot in Beaufort to catch a movie. Unless you want to make the drive to Bluffton.
Like it or not…the times sure are changing here in Beaufort.
