Abandoned Movie - Circus Cinema & Big Top Video, Denver, CO

A few weeks ago, I got the email that Google occasionally sends out to update the number of views your uploaded Google Maps pictures have accumulated. Sometimes I stop to read them, instead of deleting with the rest of the garbage email we all get. Reading that list, a few jumped out that I felt like looking further into.

One of those businesses...

Big Top Video and Circus Cinema, formerly located at 5580 North Federal Blvd. in Denver, Colorado. This picture wasn't taken by me. It's a cropped image from Google Street View. Since I'm not living in Colorado anymore, I have no way to get these pictures for myself. So in order to have a story to write, I had to resort to petty online theft. Not the type that means Lars can't buy a second gold plated helicopter, the type that I consider re-payment for all the content I've given the Googles over the years! 

The sign in this photo is new compared to the sign that was up when I drove by the stores. If you haven't figured it out by now, Big Top Video and Circus Cinema are not the place you're going to find anything appropriate for children. In fact it's not even appropriate for most adults. So if any of these ideas are offensive to you, you should probably go read something else. (Here's a story about an abandoned movie theater that isn't all dirty and gross...) While this place is by no means an actual mainstream movie theater, Circus Cinema would show up in entries alongside legitimate movie houses around Denver. Is this dumpy duplex truly a Cinema Treasure?

Wonder how many people were fooled by these online listings, and called up to see what time the newest Marvel Comic Book Super Hero epic was showing this weekend? Did the concerned caller also ask the question: “Can I get a nice tub of Circus Cinema’s hot buttered popcorn to enjoy with the feature film?”

Wait, that’s NOT butter flavored topping!

Anyways... A few days ago, I found that someone in a neighboring town's facebook group, made a meme out of one of the photos I took many years ago. When a friend shared it, I recognized it instantly. 

Hey, I took that picture!

In the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, the Shack With the XXX’s (formerly located in Ramsey, MN) is indeed a local legend. We all drove by it many times on highway 10. Before it’s demolition in 2015, there wasn’t a more notorious structure in all of Anoka County. Online searches have not brought much for pictures of this place, other than mine from a story I put up here a few years ago. I'm glad the one I snapped turned out reasonably well. Especially when you consider I was going about 65mph at the time, and couldn't really line up a good shot. This one was taken while driving my dad to a doctors appointment in St. Cloud, while on vacation from Colorado, in September of 2012. 

Which made me think about Circus Cinema. The above porno shop closed 7 years ago, but its legacy lives on in surrounding communities. Does Circus Cinema still conjure up those same feelings to residents of north Denver? Or do more people look at this stuff and just want it gone forever?

This photo (of the west facing back wall) was taken January 7, 2018, after my loop through the parking lot. Missed getting a shot of the south facing wall, with the Circus Cinema lighted sign, when I drove onto the property. Also meaning that I missed getting a picture of the sign above the building. Wish I had taken a few more seconds to do all of this correctly, but I wanted to get out of here quickly. 

Snapped this picture of the entrances to the two separate establishments, while driving around the parking lot. Turned out decent enough that it was included with the other pictures I took around town, in the uploads to Google Maps. It currently has 65,946 views. This picture was the only one ever uploaded to Circus Cinema/Big Top Video's Google business page. Since I'm the only person to provide any content, Circus Cinema had a special place in my folders of digital pictures. Because no one else bothered to upload a picture when this place was open, I guess it’s up to me to make sure it’s remembered now that it’s gone.

If you look on the far left side of this picture, you can see what appears to be a large cowboy, looking disgusted with Circus Cinema.

Had I taken more time in the Circus Cinema/Big Top Video parking lot, I could have gotten a decent shot from across Federal. Instead of one as I drove by it from the side. So this was the best picture I have of the leering 15 foot tall cowboy. Always on duty, staring scornfully at the immoral practices across the street from the Rustic Ranch Trailer Park. A land that he’s sworn to protect.

Turning out of Circus Cinema/Big Top Video's parking lot, onto 56th Avenue. Not much development in this part of town. Interstate 76 is off in the distance to the north. Taking it east would eventually bring you to Minnesota, which was the route I always took. (Though, not from Federal.) If you drove westbound on 76, it would merge into I-70 a few miles away. 

Looking out the drivers side window, while I wait for the light to turn, so I can loop around to rejoin Federal Blvd. Not going further north today. South is the home of home. And I'm past due...

There isn't a whole of information about Circus Cinema & Big Top Video out there, and even fewer pictures (that are not my own). However, the previous owners did upload six of their own to Yelp, but four of which were just pictures of the parking lot.

One of them was a photo of the Big Top Video showroom floor. Lotsa poppers, magazines, DVD's, dildoes and butt plugs... Just like every adult store I've ever seen. Wonder if they have any "Sally the Fucking Slut" toys in stock? Or a VHS copy of Teen Pee School? Dick hat? Boob gun?

They probably polished just for this photo shoot. Because it looks fairly clean! So that's a bonus.

The other picture was just a row of closed door jerk-it booths. If they'd open the doors before taking the picture, they could avoid the embarrassing question of Yelpers asking if the booths are equipped with glory holes. (You aint getting five stars without them!) And you'd think they would've hung up the one fallen "No Smoking" sign before taking the picture. Though, none of them are even anyway. 

And the Caution: Slippery When Wet pylon is a nice touch!

Wish they would have taken a picture of the actual theaters. I'd love to see what they looked like. I'm betting it was too much work to clean them up enough to photograph for a web site... 

Does Yelp use a black light filter?

From Foursquare: “They don't clean very much is kind of a seedy place but if you like the places. adult videos are hot.”

A couple of months later on February 25, 2018, I was again driving south on Federal, when I passed Circus Cinema & Big Top Video. Got a decent picture of the northwest corner, with the old black and yellow sign on the roof.

ENHANCE!

Yeah, that looks terrible...

Back in early 2018, I uploaded 345 images to Denver area businesses on Google Maps. (For whatever reason, I haven't done that to any Minnesota businesses. I probably should...) Either way, since early 2018, these pictures have been viewed a grand total of 53,615,630 times (give or take). If I had a dime for every one of those visits, I wouldn't be going to work on my birfday. I wouldn't be going to work at all. Ever again!

So far, my most viewed Google Maps picture is of Dandy Dan's strip club, a few miles south of Circus Cinema & Big Top Video. It has been viewed 2,963,993 times.

But it's not just shady adult places that highlight my most viewed Google Maps photos. The second most viewed place of business is the Blackjack Pizza at 2170 South Federal Blvd. That's been viewed a cool 2,735,795 times! We used to order from here a lot at my old Denver job, and I could really go for a deep dish Canadian Bacon and Italian Sausage today...

Circus Cinema & Big Top Video's competition, the Pleasures store on Colfax Avenue in Denver. Star attraction here being the Act 1, Act 2 and Dove adult theaters. My photo is one of only three listed under Pleasures Google page. (the other two coming from inside the arcade, which is just black walls.) Apparently no one else in town is interested in helping people find their sexual vices? Not that it was my intent, I'll take pictures of any building, open or vacant... Over 1,961,187 views for this picture, so it's not like people aren't interested in that sort of thing. 

While I was uploading images to Google, I thought it was funny to tag new businesses, with pictures of their old identities. For example, Englewood High School was tagged in photos of the old school building's demolition. Perfect Pets in Centennial was tagged as an empty store. I have fond memories of it when this building housed Famous Music and Video (non-porno, although they did rent them). The vacant building photo has been seen 1,705,603 times as well! Traditions at Englewood is tagged as the old Englewood Masonic Temple, demolished in favor of these senior apartments. A Denver Dunkin Donuts was an abandoned Amoco gas station, Larkburger was the old Twist & Shout on Alameda, and The Container Store at the Cherry Creek Mall has a tribute to the legendary Tower Records.

Too bad it was only looked at 4,621 times...

Chase Bank, Centennial, CO!

(I make my own fun...)

Now the least viewed image that I've uploaded to Google Maps is a complete shocker to me...

Elway's restaurant at the Cherry Creek Mall has only been looked at 15 times!

How is that even possible?

That picture was taken December 25th, 2013. At least the number of people seeing it here will double 15 in minutes...

My wandering point is this: In spirit of that meme created to pay honor to the former adult bookstore in Ramsey, MN, I felt it's somewhat my duty to ensure that Circus Cinema & Big Top Video gets a proper memorial on the Googles. 

So I decided to see what was going on at the building these days...

Thanks to the sun, you can see the shadow of the Googlemobile's camera pole. According to the current Google Street View, Circus Cinema & Big Top Video have closed. There is a security fence around the building, as of October 2021, the date on the copyright stamp. Looking at Yelp and the other review sites, I was able to figure out that both places were permanently closed at some point in 2020. Assuming it was the pandemic that killed business off. Not like an adult theater is going to enforce social distancing. 

Not to mention Covid is probably the least scary thing you could get inside here...

In addition to the swanky new sign attached to the roof, the entire building has been painted (Skull Crushing) Teal. In 2018, it was a subtle tan color, that blended into it's surroundings. Not sure why you'd want to make such a loud attention grabbing statement with your adult theater decor. Maybe business was down, and they thought the problem was that people just weren't aware of them? Of course the building has been tagged over and over, and the same (Skull Crushing) Teal paint wasn't available for cover up. So now it looks even worse.

Some sort of weird Google Street View time warp exists as you round the corner from Federal onto 56th Ave. In just the few clicks it takes to make a right turn, you’re taken from October 2021…  

To May 2021…

Interesting the back door has been left wide open... Hmmmm...

To November 2020…

As you turn the corner, the condition of the building improves!

Oh, never mind... 

We've leapt forward to December 2021, and the place looks like a bomb was dropped.

A bend in the space/time continuum has great affected this poor truck. Adding an additional front axle and set of tires.

While researching this story, I came upon the very real reason this abandoned Circus Cinema & Big Top Video looks so terrible as of December of 2021...

In the middle of the night, on July 16, 2021, a fire was tearing through the building. This photo is from the Adams County Fire Department. (I have no idea how many times it's been viewed on the Googles.) The cause of the fire was quickly determined to be arson. No suspects, with the fire department looking for information. Once the fire was out, the building was saved from a being a total loss, but I can't imagine anyone putting the effort and money into saving it.

I'd be somewhat shocked if it was even still standing today.

If the building is gone, I think this review might be the perfect epitaph:

From a review on CruisingGays website: “Seedy but hot, Lots of action in afternoon, tolerant staff, open. Jack and mainly, some anal, Protected with cameras covering outside of entry door."

Hours: 24x7

Crowd: "Men, some women, TVs and lots of cocksuckers." 

Best times: "Weekday pm and Sundays."

Cruising Info/Tips: "Just sit down in last row and pull it out."

Cruisiest Spots: "Theatre 1."

Warnings: "Some broken chairs."

If you feel like reading more, follow that link for Circus Cinema. There is a lengthy comment thread about police harassment of its patrons, along with tips to avoid the sting. Most of the comments are from 2008. But it gives you a rather graphic backdrop as to the goings on under the Big Top…

Which may make sense, as to it's reputation. 

I found another dedicated webpage from the Steven Louth Law Offices:

CIRCUS CINEMA DENVER

"Have you been caught in a sting operation by the Adam's County Sheriff Office at Circus Cinema? Over the years we have helped many individuals who have been arrested or issued a summons for exposing themselves or masturbating inside the theater. We understand this situation can be a sensitive topic and like all our cases, we keep all discussions confidential. Our clients can get through this situation with employers, spouses and friends not finding out about the case. We may be able to help you avoid having to register as a sex offender as well as other penalties. Contact attorneys Steven and Zachary Louth for a free case evaluation at xxx-xxx-xxxx."

After writing all this, I think I need to go take a shower...