Curtain falls on Oxford theatre

Quinpool Road location to close Sept. 13, plans final week of classic films

The screen will be going dark at The Oxford theatre in Halifax on Sept. 13.

Cineplex announced Thursday that the Quinpool Road building that houses The Oxford has been sold to Nanco Group, a local business owned by the Nahas family. As a result, the theatre will be closing.

To pay homage to the theatre, the movie company is hosting a week of programming featuring screenings of iconic films that have played on its screen over its 80-year history.

Tickets to all screenings will be $4.99, with proceeds going to the IWK Foundation.

“The decision to sell The Oxford was not an easy one, as we share the community’s love for the theatre and respect the important role it has played in the city’s history,” said Daniel Seguin, vice-president of operations for Eastern Canada with Cineplex, in a news release.

“Back in 1937, when The Oxford first opened, single-screen theatres were the norm, but today multiplex cinemas provide our guests with many film choices in one location,” said Seguin.

“I can think of no better way to celebrate the theatre than by bringing back classic films that have appeared on its screen over the years, all the while raising money for a very important cause, the IWK.”

Norman Nahas, the building’s new owner, said in the release that future plans are not finalized for the site.

The Oxford has recently favoured independent films and art house titles, sometimes leaving the theatre mostly vacant. But during the release of “Maudie,” the theatre was brimming with movie-goers eager to watch the story of a Nova Scotia artist

whose hands were riddled with arthritis.

Cineplex intends to transition those films to Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane on Spring Garden Road.

Cineplex said The Oxford shares its employee team with the Park Lane location, so the closure will have no impact on staffing.