The Lost Cinemas of Rotterdam: Arena

Although most people in Rotterdam will know this location, on the Kruiskade, as the former stage Nighttown (where a lot of famous musicians have played, it was a cinema for a couple of decades before. It was also one of the few cinemas which survived the second world war.

After the success of his W.B.Theater located on Nieuwe Binnenweg Karl Weisbard decides in 1930 to open a second cinema: Roxy Theater. The building is designed by Jac Van Gelderen. It has a thousand seats and opens its door on May 31st. Besides movies some stage performances take place as well.

Because Weisband can’t seem to make the location profitable he decides to sell it to Ed Spits in 1936, who decides to renovate and name it Arena.

Cinema Arena around 1950, with advertisement for the film “De Dijk is Dicht”:

In 1939 it is sold again and it is used strictly for showing movies. During the war films couldn’t be shown and the location was used for plays.

Arena Theater around 1956:

Cinema Arena in 1966:

Arena after a renovation:

The foyer of the cinema:

The theater:

Picture probably taken in 1967 when Billion Dollar Brain was playing

To the left Arena, shown from the park besides the building:

In 1988 Arena closed its doors and became Nighttown, where you went to dance and see live performances. Nighttown bankrupted in 2006. In 2008 its doors opened again, this time named Watt, which was still a music related place, but because of various circumstances it stopped in 2010. In december 2013 a supermarket, Amazing Oriental started there’

Sources:
“Fantasie, illusie en betovering, herinneringen aan Rotterdamse bioscopen” by Herman Romer
“Over stalles, Rotterdam en het witte doek en parket” by Henk Berg
City of Rotterdam Archives
maurisdumas.nl
Magazine: Film