Cinemark never made any effort to update the facility from the 90’s to 2016 aside from going digital when it finally became a part of the MJR Chain. When the mall closed and was demolished, Cinemark built a new facade for the theater but nothing inside changed. You don’t feel bad leaving if the movie is terrible or the audience is disruptive. People were always late to screenings, patrons were rude and would often talk through the entire course of the film, but that was part of the charm and experience of the dollar cinema. Budget theaters bring out a different crowd. It was common to see security in the lobby as there were car thefts, fights, theft and homeless dwellers who would frequent the facility. However, some believe the Cinemark 16 was the reason the Universal Mall became a bit of a less than desirable spot. Cinemark’s decision to build a brand new 16-screen dollar theater was a puzzling one at the time but the concept was profitable as Warren is a blue collar, metro town and it catered to the attitude of the city. They did a good job of getting films three or four weeks just before the DVD or VHS release. There was nothing like arriving on a weekend or weekday off and blasting through 3 (or 4 if you could time it correctly) movies in a single day in the early to mid-90’s. The Cinemark theater is the longest-serving tenant of Universal Mall, which originally opened in 1965.The Cinemark 16 was the home of $1.50 shows for many years, as well as the location of many personal movie marathons. The Warren theater, which will have four auditoriums with the ability to show 3-D films, will have amenities similar to Michigan-based MJR’s nine other locations, including the Movie Rewards program, free refills on pop and popcorn, and state-of-the-art assistance for those with hearing or vision impairments. The revamped, 1194-capacity theater will show first-run films and will include a Studio Bar and a concession stand with the new Pepsi Spire soft drink dispenser. The new facility will be renamed MJR Universal Grand Cinema 16 and will reopen in early 2017, according to a press release from MJR. 1 for a $4.4 million renovation to include new carpeting, tile, drapery and electronic recliners. MJR Digital Cinemas has negotiated a lease for the 16-screen Cinemark theater at Universal Shopping Center at 12 Mile and Dequindre in Warren.Ĭinemark will close on Dec.

Universal grand cinema 16