Great Neck Cinema to Re-Open as Golf Simulation Venue

By Niall Fitzgerald

The historic Squire Cinema in Great Neck - that has been closed for nearly four years since 2020 - may be re-opened as a lounge and event space featuring golf simulations.

The new owner of the historic theater on Middle Neck Road, Kenix Wang of Lounge X LLC, has filed plans with the Village of Great Neck Plaza to turn the formerly multiplex theater, into a lounge and catering space, with a golf simulation facility on the second floor.

The plans call for the first floor of the theater to be turned into a cafe and event catering space. Wang stated that he plans for a commercial kitchen on the first floor for in-house catering. On the second floor, Wang plans eight golf simulators and three putting greens.

The Squire Theater opened in January 1941 as a single screen theater. In 1983, United Artists purchased the theater, and converted it into a triplex, with three small box theaters.

United Artists later filed for bankruptcy, and the Squire Theater sat closed, until being taken over by Wurtzburgh Theaters. It was then reopened by Clearview Cinemas, who further sub-divided the theater again in 1997 - re-opening with seven small screens.

In June 2013, Bow-Tie Cinemas took over the Squire. It closed in March, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has never re-opened.