A major part of childhood going away

When my family first moved to Dunn, N.C., in the mid-1980s, that small city had two movie theaters. There was the old Stewart Theater, the one-screen holdover from cinema's heyday. Then there was the Plaza, a newer, two-screen "multiplex" on the edge of town. I remember seeing "Gremlins" at the Stewart; it closed not long after. (It has now become a wonderful community theater facility.)

The Plaza kept on chugging, and for a city like Dunn it remained one of the few things for young people. Many a Friday night was spent first at the Plaza -- where your folks would drop you off -- and then followed by pizza at the Pizza Inn. You had to cross a busy highway -- on foot -- to get to the Pizza Inn. Relatively speaking, it wasn't that long ago; but looking back, it seems like a more innocent time. (Personal note: it was in the Plaza where I first, ahem, kissed a girl.)

Unfortunately, the Plaza's days are numbered. August 28 is the cinema's last day, even though it was recently refurbished. Regardless, one night last week only six customers paid to see a movie. And the assistant manager told the local paper that the last sell out was for "The Passion of the Christ" in 2004.

So, if kids in the Dunn-Coats-Erwin area are anything like we were, then probably the only thing left to do is to head out to the country and build bonfires. Yippee!

Any other N.C.-related "ghosts of childhood past" stories you want to share?