Fairfax 5 Theatres

When I lived in Fairfax in 1996-97 it had only been split into 2 theaters. The seats in the back of the large theater leaned back, but some of them where broken. There were plans in 1998 to ass 2 more theaters in the parking lot area.

THE FAIRFAX WAS SAVED BY THE LAEMMLE CHAIN AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE REOPENED ON 11/2 AFTER A VERY SHORT CLOSURE OF ABOUT A MONTH OR SO. I WAS BEING RUN AS A DISCOUNT HOUSE WITH 3 SCREENS. OLD SEATS ARE BEING REMOVED WITH FEWER NEW SEATS AND MORE LEG SPACE BEING ADDED.

http://www.laemmle.com/theatres/fairfax.html

Tom, I think you're thinking of the Fairfax 3 Theaters that was previously run by Loews Cineplex. This Fairfax theater is still owned by Cinema West:

http://www.cinema-west.com

When it became two theatres in the early 90's, there cut the last third of the seating and made it the second theatre. The larger (#2) main theatre looks and feels like the original. #3 and #4 are brand new "screening rooms", maybe seats a hundred each. Cinema West's original plans were to open a 8 or 10 plex down the street, but the town of Fairfax said no to that.

In 2003, all the seats were replaced with the reclining back/love seat arm rest style seats popping up in other movie houses.

A fifth theatre was added in 2004, but without shrinking any of the existing screens. The largest of the theatres was remodled "stadium" style, with the back half of the room inclined up. The new theatre was added under the inclined portion of the remodled theatre. The remodled theatre and the new small theatre have very comfortable new seats with padded arm rests.

As of 2004, the Fairfax is first run movies.

Photo of the Fairfax 5 Theatres.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/California%20Theatres/FairfaxTheatre49BroadwayFairfaxCa.jpg
Also here is the correct link to Cinema West
http://www.cinemawest.com

Here is a recent photo of Fairfax 5 Theaters.

This is a recent night view of the Fairfax 5.

Here is a photo of the Fairfax as a quad in 2002.

Thanks Fairfax for having the only theatre in your area with digital 3-D. Today and this week watch the crowds come to see 'Beowulf' in the new 3-D at the Fairfax. I can't believe the Century/Cinemark guys are so slow in your area to install this new technology. Why go to a movie theatre and see a 3-D movie in boring flat 2-D! Your business will be triple from the 3 Cinemark theatres showing the 2-D 35mm print. Watch out as soon as they see the $$ going to the indi Fairfax Theatre they will wake up and get caught up with the new digital world of projection. Enjoy the business while you can at the Cinema West Fairfax.

According to their web page, they will install solar panels soon and are claiming they will be the first cinema in the nation to be completely solar powered.

More photos can be seen here.

The year given for this photo is 1986.

I don't know what the current seating is, but the Fairfax is listed in 1955 with 600 seats.

This is from the San Rafael Daily Journal in June 1950:
http://tinyurl.com/ooqm6t