Remember December 26, 1924? That’s when the Jackson Theatre first opened its doors. It was a single-screen movie palace. Imagine 1,500 seats filled with eager moviegoers. The Jackson Theatre even boasted a Wurlitzer organ. This wasn’t just any organ. It had two manuals and seven ranks.
Grob and Knobel built and ran the Jackson Theatre. They later sold it to William Fox in 1928. But Fox lost it to bankruptcy in 1930. Skouras Theatres Corp. took over. They also acquired the Boulevard Theatre.
Later, changes came to the Jackson Theatre. The stadium seating area was halved. This created two smaller theaters. Each held 228 seats. The main floor remained largely untouched. It still had 601 seats and its original style. Dolby digital stereo was added. Some considered it a “Cinema Treasure”. It was perhaps the best operating in Queens.
However, the Jackson Theatre closed on October 20, 2009. The operators were evicted for not paying rent. A film festival was canceled due to the closure.
In its later years, the Jackson Theatre became the Jackson Triplex Cinema. It showed Hollywood movies with Spanish subtitles. This catered to the area’s large Latin American population. Despite its efforts, it closed in October 2009. A “For Rent” sign hung on the marquee.
But the story doesn’t end there. The Jackson Triplex Cinema reopened on May 22, 2010. It was then named the Jackson Heights Cinema. Sadly, it closed again in late 2013. The building was demolished around March 2017.
Sun Equity Partners and the Heskel Group bought the property. They paid $27 million. Redevelopment plans were in the works.
The Jackson Theatre had a rich history. Charles A. Sandblom was cited as its architect in 1925. It holds memories for many. One person recalls seeing “2001” there in 1976. This experience changed their life.
The Jackson Triplex struggled to compete with multiplexes. The owners couldn’t pay rent and taxes. Some hoped it could become a vibrant scene. Others joked it would turn into an American Apparel store.
Today, a Target store stands where the Jackson Triplex Cinema once stood. The Jackson Triplex is now a memory.