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  Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Also known as Cerrito Theater

Rialto Cinemas Cerrito

El Cerrito, CA
10070 San Pablo Avenue
, El Cerrito, CA 94530 United States
(map)
510.273.9102
Status: Open
Screens: Twin
Style: Art Deco
Function: Movies (First Run)
Seats: 287
Chain: Rialto Cinemas
Architect: William B. David
Firm: Unknown
Rialto Cinemas Cerrito
Detail view of the Cerrito Theater's fabulous Art Deco murals
Photo courtesy of Averie Cohen/Friends of the Cerrito Theater
The historic Cerrito Theater in El Cerrito, California, with its incredible Art Deco style murals and decorative interior, is one of the city's hidden treasures.

Opened in 1937 with 644 seats, and closed since the 1950's, the Cerrito Theater used recently by Kiefer's Furniture as storage.

Fortunately, the City of El Cerrito Redevelopment District working with Friends of the Cerrito Theater, brought this old movie house back to life.

It re-opened on November 1, 2006, as the Cerrito Speakeasy closing in May 2009. On July 15, 2009 it reopened as Rialto Cinemas Cerrito with 287 seats.
Contributed by Lori Dair, Melissa Hatheway


YOUR COMMENTS

 
The theater sat 644 when in operation. Blumenfeld was the original operator.

Friends of the Cerrito theater recently had a public open house which had an excellent turnout. The murals looked in good shape & the lobby had a mirrored mural behind where the concession counter stood. The auditorium had evidence of past ceiling leaks, but overall the theater has a lot of potential.
posted by scottfavareille on May 5, 2002 at 3:38pm
Good news!! According to a small article in an East Bay edition of the San Francisco Chronicle (June 7, 2002), the city council of El Cerrito voted recently to go ahead & buy the theater! They are now in escrow with the building owner. This gives us much hope that it will reopen as a theater!
posted by scottfavareille on Jun 10, 2002 at 12:49pm
The Cerrito Theatre is located at 470 San Pablo Ave..
posted by William on Nov 12, 2003 at 6:26pm
The web site for this theatre can be found at: http://www.cerritotheater.org/index.html
posted by Gregg on Feb 2, 2004 at 6:03pm
The National Trust has featured this theatre in their new section.
http://www.nationaltrust.org/Magazine/archives/arc_news/012904.htm
posted by Gregg on Feb 2, 2004 at 6:06pm
Doesn't look like it's in very good condition. The exterior has been completely stripped of a marquee and signage.
posted by edward on Apr 21, 2004 at 6:16pm
William David was the architect of the Cerrito according to their web site at http://www.cerritotheater.org
posted by John Gillespie on Jun 17, 2004 at 9:35pm
Considering the tremendous progress that's been made in the effort to revitalize the Cerrito, perhaps a more accurate status at this point should be "Closed/Renovating/Restoring."
posted by gsmurph on Sep 19, 2004 at 10:20am
Those murals are pretty cool, along with that etched glass design. Hope you all have the best of times there.
posted by howell on Feb 8, 2005 at 7:17am
This website has some photos of the Cerrito Theater. On that site it reads "Currently in process, the plans call for renovating the theater into a two-screen movie and pizza pub facility featuring a café". I hope that I have the right Cerrito Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 12, 2005 at 6:39am
There is a hearing at the El Cerrito City Council tonight with an update about the project (Contractor bids and will the city continue to help with the restoration.)
posted by scottfavareille on Sep 19, 2005 at 11:10am
The Cerrito is rising again.

To those involved in the renovation:

Well done!

posted by Life's too short on Apr 27, 2006 at 1:23pm
Here is a recent photo of the Cerrito Theater.
posted by Lost Memory on Apr 29, 2006 at 9:23am
My heart goes out to all those involved in the incredible restoration of the Cerrito Theater!!! If only the same was happening at the moment to the Trylon Theater in Forest Hills, NY, which was intact, but is now undergoing profound alterations because of greed! The Cerrito restoration photos and plans do shed light on other theaters that can make a complete turn-around. Good luck!!!

- Michael, Forest Hills, N.Y.
posted by NativeForestHiller on May 4, 2006 at 12:25am
Fans of Cerrito: I'm doing a school project focusing on the Cerrito Theater and am looking for people who might have the time to answer a couple brief email questions about the theater. I'm just trying to get as many perspectives on the theater as possible. If you're interested, please email me at cerrito@sethleonard.com Thank you!
posted by Seth Leonard on May 9, 2006 at 9:47am
Cerrito's status should probably be changed to "Closed/Renovating," as work is well underway to prepare it for its grand reopening!
posted by gsmurph on Aug 14, 2006 at 8:25am
Any word on the progress on the grand reopening? I'll be visiting San Francisco in November and would love to come out for a show at the new theatre or check it out at least and do some photos..

posted by hdtv267 on Sep 15, 2006 at 3:40am
Go to the "Friends" web site and take a look at the photographs of the replica vetical sign and attraction boards being installed. Outstanding!!!

posted by Life's too short on Oct 11, 2006 at 3:35pm
This is a recent photo of the Cerrito Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 22, 2006 at 6:33am
Sweet picture. The whole project blows my mind. This place sat for, what, forty years?

posted by Life's too short on Oct 22, 2006 at 2:29pm
According to

http://www.cerritospeakeasy.com/index.php

This theatre will re-open on November the 1st.

The 1st and 2nd they will be showing "Casablanca" and also "Pulp Fiction".

Apparently there is an upstairs and downstairs theatre.

Awesome news about this theatre being saved and restored and opening again! Kudos to all!
posted by hdtv267 on Oct 23, 2006 at 2:16am
Hence (and perhaps rather obviously), Cerito's status will very soon need to be changed to "Open," the number of screens changed to "Twin," and the chain to "Speakeasy Theaters." Presumably the seating capacity will also need changing, but the new capacity is uncertain (the site's FAQ isn't up as yet). But WHAT A VICTORY (especially in light of the loss of several beloved Bay Area theaters in recent months)!
posted by gsmurph on Oct 24, 2006 at 10:13am
Anyone have any interior shots of the finished theatre to share?
posted by Matt Spero on Oct 30, 2006 at 7:47pm
Here is an interior photo of the Cerrito Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 3, 2006 at 6:14am
A 2007 night view of the Cerrito Theater can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Feb 4, 2007 at 9:51am
Another 2007 photo of the Cerrito Theater can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Jun 8, 2007 at 7:52pm
A more recent view of the Cerrito at night can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 29, 2007 at 9:44am
See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_G-jzEFK4k

"Gee Dad, it was a WurliTzer!"
posted by Ret. AKC(NAC) Bob Jensen on Jan 28, 2008 at 8:46pm
The Cerrito restoration received a California Preservation Foundation 2007 Preservation Design Award:
http://www.californiapreservation.org
posted by recently on Feb 14, 2008 at 1:01pm
This is a 2008 photo of the Cerrito Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Jul 8, 2008 at 10:32am
The Cerrito opened in December 1937, according to Boxoffice magazine, at a cost of $150,000. The owner at the opening was the Blumenfield Theaters chain.
posted by ken mc on Dec 23, 2008 at 6:54pm
Unfortunately, according to this mornings Contra Costa Times, the Cerrito Theater is now "closed indefinitely" as the Fischers have ran out of money. The Redevelopment Agency of El Cerrito pulled their lease recently as the Fischers have not paid their $10,000 a month rent on the theater for the last 18 months. (Their other theater, the Parkway in Oakland, shuttered in April due to financial issues & declining attendance.) They have blamed the shutdown on the economy, lack of access to first-run movies, increased construction costs, etc.

This is sad but me thinks that the best solution may be to try opoperating a theater
posted by scottfavareille on May 20, 2009 at 8:01am
(continued)
that shows Chinese/Hong Kong fare (there is a good Asian population there, and they can cross-market to nearby UC Berkeley as the theater is easily accessible by public transit).
posted by scottfavareille on May 20, 2009 at 8:03am
Here is a 2009 photo.

posted by Lost Memory on Jun 15, 2009 at 11:32am
I don't want to be a killjoy. But I'm not sure how much money is left in exhibition of foreign films. I'm sure DVDs, internet access, etc. have taken a bite out of that business as compared to what it was twenty years ago. There is definitely a solution, I'm just not sure what it is. Whatever the case I think the recent renovation means that the theatre is safe for a while.

posted by Life's too short on Jun 15, 2009 at 12:26pm
Reopens on July 15th under the operation of Rennaisance Rialto (who operates the Elmwood in Berkeley). First attraction will be the new Harry Potter film. It sounds as if RR will be running first-run product here, unlike the Fischers.
posted by scottfavareille on Jul 6, 2009 at 10:07am
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