Movie theatre becomes the centerpiece of Hertel Avenue

Going to the movies has been an American tradition since the 1920s.

Thanks to the revitalization of the North Park Theatre on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo, movie goers can enjoy a modern movie and have the same atmosphere as someone going to the movies almost 100 years ago. 

The North Park Theatre is a staple in North Buffalo because of its history and beauty, Ray Barker,  the program director for the North Park Theatre said. 

Back in 2013 the North Park Theatre was restored by the building's owner and defense attorney Tom Eoannou and Left Bank Restaurant and Mes Que owner Mike Christiano. An eight month restoration revived the theatre by cleaning the beautiful paintings on the ceilings, installing new seats, and buying a new state of the art digital projector for movies. 

"I think the North Park is a crown jewel of the Hertel neighborhood," Barker said. "I think when we are doing well we are bringing people all over western New York and southern Ontario into the community." 

The theatre plays all types of movies for a wide range of viewers. It offers main stream movies, independent films, and international films that bring a variety of different movies to the neighborhood, Barker added. 

Since 2014, the theatre has seen an increase of ticket sales each year. "There is this kind of myth that people have stopped going to the movies," Barker added. "Yes, Netflix is a convenience but you are still at home and I think people want to get out." 

The theatre has four show times weekdays at 2pm, 4:30pm, 7pm, and 9:30pm and for the weekends an 11:30am show is added to the line up. For a schedule of times visit the North Park Theatre website.

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