Address: 2125 Hilltop Mall Road, Richmond CA 94806
Date Opened :August 26, 1976 (Screens 1-4), December 16, 1988 (Screens 5-8)
Date Closed: Mid 1990's
Circuit/Owners: Plitt Theatres, Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, Lowes Cineplex Entertainment
Number of Screens: 4, later 8
Number of Seats: Unknown
Current Status: Closed
Photos above appear on Cinema Treasures website, posted by "rockyroadz" and credited to the John Tarantino Collection.
Hilltop Mall Cinemas was located inside the large Hilltop Mall Shopping Center in Richmond. Plitt Theatres originally opened the theater as a fourplex on the lower floor of the mall on August 26, 1976.
July 30, 1977 newspaper ad shows these at the time very popular films playing at Hilltop Mall Cinemas.
July 7, 1978 newspaper ad from the Independent for the Hilltop Mall Cinemas.
After Cineplex Odeon acquired the property from Plitt four more screens were added on the upper level of the mall on December 16, 1988. The name of the new eight screen operation was changed to Cineplex Odeon Hilltop Cinemas. The lower level was later operated as a discount house while the upper level continued to feature first run product.
Because of the Hilltop's proximity to troubled flatland Richmond and it being the only remaining indoor movie theater in the Richmond area this operation had more than its share of problems with rowdy and disruptive patrons. It closed completely in the mid 1990's. In 2001 Cinemark opened a 16 screen multiplex (Century Hilltop 16) nearby but not actually in the enclosed mall. Photo above from the Scott Neff collection as seen on Cinema Tour website.
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