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October 21, 2019 by routeonefunlady

Riverdale Theatre (& Development at Riverdale Plaza)

Instead of bumbling on our phones while waiting for some car magic to happen at Firestone, we instead found ourselves drawn to wander and explore the L-shaped complex that is Riverdale Plaza. With over half of its storefronts now closed, it was like a walk down memory lane – except without any memories to revisit, just imaginations left to wonder about what might have been.

Riverdale Theatre, now closed

Most striking was the now vacant Riverdale Theatre, next to Firestone. It’s cool black & white signage, dusty movie posters still up and a clear ticket window drew us over to daydream more about its past. Since then, we tucked a bit into the history of the old 99-cent theatre; we also learned that the Plaza itself is slated for redevelopment.

History of Riverdale Theatre

Excerpted from Cinema Treasures:

“District Theaters built the Riverdale Theatre in Riverdale Plaza. The Riverdale opened March 20, 1968 ‘P.J.’ starring George Peppard. It had 815 seats and was designed by architects Donald N. Coupard & Associates.

Riverdale Theatre Riverdale

In late-1982, the Riverdale was acquired by P & G Theaters. In August 1985, this theater became the first 99-cent theater in the area. In the spring of 1993, it was twinned. The movie theatre closed with ‘Kingdom Come’ (2001) as the last movie presented in the auditorium on the left.”

Redevelopment at Riverdale Plaza

As reported the October edition of The Biz (the monthly publication of the Riverdale Park Business Association), Riverdale Plaza is “set to be sold to a developer who hopes to create a mixed-use hotspot at the edge of the future Purple Line’s Riverdale Park station.”

“Built in the 1960s, the L-shaped, 28-store Riverdale Plaza complex was once a bustling center of commerce. Today, about half of the 28 stores in Riverdale Plaza are open for business.”

Riverdale Theatre

The movie poster for 2001’s “Along Came a Spider” (not to be confused with “Along Came Polly” 😉 ) still on display.

Status of Riverdale Theatre

We’re not sure what this new development will mean for the old movie theatre. As The Biz notes, “[Riverdale Theatre’s] been closed since 2007, and its basement is filled with water and mold today.” Definitely check back with the Riverdale Park Business Association‘s blog as they’ve got the 411 on this and more!

In the meantime, if you’re a fan of history and cool signage, there’s plenty to explore at Riverdale Plaza as it currently exists. Be sure to visit on an empty stomach as the newly opened La Chiquita serves up some tasty Salvadoran cuisine not to be missed!

***

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Comments

  1. Tammy says

    October 21, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    Use to love driving from DC to this not crowded theater. Wish they would put another one in its place😊

    Reply
    • routeonefunlady says

      October 22, 2019 at 8:20 am

      Thanks for sharing, Tammy! Sounds like it was a great, well-loved theatre! Not sure yet what may happen with the space but will keep you posted!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Route 1 Weekend Guide: Oct. 25th-27th | Route One Fun says:
    October 31, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    […] Development Coming to Riverdale Plaza; […]

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  2. Will's Home Decorating Moving to Hyattsville | Route One Fun says:
    October 25, 2019 at 11:18 am

    […] post this week on a local building that stops you in your tracks and wonder about might have been: The TESST building in Hyattsville. Its signage commands your […]

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