128 N. Artsakh Ave. Glendale, CA 91206 | map |
Opened: June 14, 1991 as an 8 plex, the Mann 8 at the Exchange, with an address of 128 N. Maryland Ave, on the east side of the street between Broadway and Wilson. It's a block south of the stage end of the Alex Theatre. There's an entrance to the Exchange complex on Brand although the theatres are a block east of Brand.
Website: www.lookcinemas.com
Seating: 2,500 seats as a 10 plex when it had conventional seating. Now, with recliners installed, the complex is down to a capacity of 768 in the 10 auditoria. The numbers, including handicap spaces: #1: 154, #2: 52, #3: 124, #4: 82, #5: 57, #6: 52, #7: 96, #8: 64, #9: 49, #10: 38.
Mann also operated the Alex Theatre, a block north of the Exchange. They were advertising the new theatres at the Exchange on the readerboard facing patrons as they exited the Alex. They closed the Alex in September 1991. It's a photo from the Walt Disney Co. Thanks to Mike Hume for locating it.
On May 30, 1997 Mann opened the two additional screens in what had been vacant space on the north side of the breezeway that adjoined the original 8 plex. Auditorium #1 in the twin addition is the complex's largest. Thanks to Scott Weinfeld for researching the date of the expansion and locating this ad that ran a week later, on June 6.
It was operated by Mann Theatres until the expiration of their lease. Their last day of operation was June 30, 2011. In March 2011 the L.A. Times speculated about the future with their story "Shut Glendale Theaters might become nightclubs." The nightclub idea didn't happen.
The twin addition was jettisoned with the original 8 plex, as the Glendale Exchange 8, operated by Lance Alspaugh's Vintage Theatres beginning in July 2011. Vintage is the firm that had the Vista and still operates the Los Feliz. Vintage closed the complex February 28, 2012, partially because Galaxy Cinemas had reopened the former Mann Marketplace 4, a block south of the Exchange complex.
After a remodel it reopened in August 2013 as the MGN Five Star Cinema, a 10 screen complex with "dine-in" options. The seating in the auditoria in this mode ranged from 30 to 104. They closed in April 2017.
"The whole property spans some 60,000 square feet, spread across 10
different screens. There will also be a stand alone bar and dining area
in the lobby, in addition to the reclining seats, and in-theater food
and drink menu."
The North auditoria - 1 and 2:
More street views:
2002 - The entrance on Brand. Thanks to Scott Neff for his photo, a post on the Cinema Tour page about the theatre.
2002 - Signage near the boxoffice. Thanks to Scott Neff for his photo on Cinema Tour.
2007 - Looking north on Maryland Ave. toward Wilson St. The beige structure we see beyond the palm trees up in the 200 block is the stagehouse of the Alex Theatre. Photo: Google Maps
2009 - Looking at the back of the auditoria as we look west on Wilson St. toward Maryland Ave. The Laemmle Glendale is now over on the far right, just beyond that red pickup. Photo: Google Maps
2012 - Under renovation to become the short-lived Five Star Cinema. Photo: Google Maps
2016 - The redecorated Wilson St. end of the complex during the Five Star era. Photo: Google Maps
2019 - The closed MGN Five Star complex. We're looking south on Maryland / Artsakh Ave. Photo: Google Maps
More Information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Studio Movie Grill. The Cinema Tour page on the Exchange has 6 photos from Mark Campbell and Scott Neff. Thanks to the contributors on these two sites for information about the various dates for different operators.
See Fred Topel's 2024 post on the Cinema Tour Facebook page for 13 photos. Scott Neff did a 2025 post on the Cinema Tour Facebook page that included 14 photos.
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