Sydney’s historic Roseville Cinemas hits market after 52 years in one family
A historic cinema on Sydney’s upper north shore that has been in the same family for 52 years is up for sale by court order.
The 114-year-old Roseville Cinemas, one of Sydney’s oldest continuously operating independent cinemas, is on the market along with an adjacent retail, office and residential building.
It’s an emotional time for manager Emma Addario, whose parents purchased the cinema in 1974 when she was just two years old. Her father, Hans Van Pinxteren, worked in promotions for television production and distribution company Columbia TriStar, and her grandfather owned a cinema in the Netherlands.
The family’s long history in cinema and at Roseville is a source of great pride for Addario.
“The community aspect of it has always been a big part of it for myself and my parents,” she says.
“Just the enjoyment people get from obviously seeing films and just that transportation of what a film does, and seeing it on the big screen and just community people coming together and watching a film.
“It’s just always been a really nice thing to be where people come to relax and get away from life.”
Court-ordered sale ends family’s 52-year stewardship
Addario has managed the Roseville Cinemas for more than 30 years and says she feels emotional about the sale, which was ordered by the Supreme Court in June this year.
The court-ordered sale aims to resolve a shareholder dispute among the cinema’s owner, Macos Holdings, and pay off debt. Addario, one of the shareholders, said business became tough during the pandemic and later during the Hollywood writers’ strike.
“There just wasn’t product available because of COVID and then obviously the actors strike and the writers strike, which had to obviously occur, that was not right what was happening to them, but it just was not good timing when things were just sort of taking off again after COVID and then that stopped things being made again,” she says.
114-year-old cinema carries deep community ties
Describing the cinema as a “third child”, Addario says it’s unclear what the future will bring.
“I hope it can continue and it continues to be a place for the community and support the community, which is what it’s always done,” she says.
Roseville Cinemas was built in 1912 and originally used for community dances and concerts. During World War I, it became a recruitment centre for soldiers before evolving into a picture theatre around 1918.
Investors and developers eye rare North Shore opportunity
The art-deco style cinema, which is currently open as usual, is being marketed as an opportunity for occupiers, investors and developers to renovate, reposition or redevelop.
James Sutton of McGrath Lindfield says he wouldn’t be surprised if the local community became involved in shaping the cinema’s next chapter.
“We expect there will naturally be significant interest from investors and developers, but we also believe the property will resonate strongly with local buyers and families who understand its significance and may see it as a genuine trophy holding,” he says.
“The North Shore has an incredibly well-connected local community, and we would not be surprised to see that network play an important role in ultimately finding the buyer, whether that is someone already living in the area, a local family looking to secure a long-term investment, or someone introduced through the relationships that exist within the community.”
Future of local landmark remains uncertain
Knight Frank agent Mark Litwin said the cinema’s rich history and strategic location made it a unique investment.
“This is an exceptionally rare offering that combines heritage significance, development potential and a level of local recognition that very few commercial assets can replicate,” he said.
“Opportunities to acquire assets with this level of history and prominence are extraordinarily scarce.”
The expressions of interest campaign for the property will close at 3pm on October 8, 2026.
