Varsity Theatre

The Varsity was most likely one of The San Francisco Bay Areas Biggest losses. Even till the last show Cinema Paridesio/and Rocky Horror it kept it's glam. I went and was shocked buy the transformation Borders did to this artifact and it is awful....LONG LIVE THE VARSITY.

I was part of a group that, although we lost the battle to keep the Varsity as a theatre, stayed on and fought to have as much of the interior preserved as possible. Some may think that the conversion to a bookstore is awful, but it could have been worse had it not been for our efforts. Originally, the remodeling called for removal of the marquee--to be replaced by a postmodern "shorthand" replica of the original--complete gutting and destruction of the lobby, and destruction of the arched sidewalls of the auditorium, and probably removal of all ceiling ornament. Due to our efforts, all these items were saved and restored.

To correct one item in the main description: The present Varsity was built from "scratch" and opened in 1927. The "old" Varsity that opened in 1912 was on the opposite side of University Avenue a couple of blocks to the West. The building that housed the "old" Varsity still stands, and has housed a Round Table Pizza and a Baskin and Robbins in recent years.

I'll always remember those wonderful times going to the "New Varsity" as it was known, in the 1970s and 1980s, to see art, foreign, classic and concert films in a real European-style ambience. The "New Varsity" was the only American movie theater I've ever been to which had a bar and restaurant inside the lobby, and little railing-tables in the auditorium, where it was all perfectly legal to buy alcoholic beverages and food (mostly sandwiches) to bring inside the theater to eat while you watched the movies. I really enjoyed the freedom of enjoying a beer or a glass of wine while watching Pink Floyd or The Marx Brothers, in the days before David Packard's new Stanford Theater became a reality down the street on University Avenue in posh Palo Alto.

I remember going to the Varisty as a kid, the place had a mysterious spell over me... I will always remember it lovingly.

I was an usherette at the Varsity in 1943. My first job. I worked after school till I graduated, then for awhile longer untill moving to SF to go into war work during WWII. I liked working there, it was a neat theater. I'm doing scrapbooking on my life and decided to search the Varsity on the net. Was really surprised at the changes it went through, but was elated at finding so much about it. Its taken me back in time. A truly nostalgic feeling. Ellery

Old postcards:
http://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/usa/usa_paloalto_varsity.htm

This website has photos of the Varsity Theater being converted into a Borders bookstore. Click each photo to enlarge.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbetak/20865707/

Here is an article from 1994 regarding the conversion:

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/news/1994_Jun_8.VARSITY.html

A 1997 view of the former Varsity Theatre:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/114967847/

The description for this theatre says that it was opened in 1912 and then renovated in 1927. But the page at Carthalia containing the old postcard (linked in the comment by TC above) contains text that reads "NB: The building is not identical with another "Varsity Theatre", built 1912 at another site on University Avenue and later converted to a restaurant."

There is a photograph of that earlier Varsity Theatre at the web site of the Palo Alto Historical Association. Another photo of the first Varsity at the same web site has text indicating that it was located in the block west of Bryant Street. The Google map for the new Varsity shows its location as being a block and a half EAST of Bryant Street, and on the opposite side of University Avenue from the original Varsity Theatre.

So Carthalia is apparently correct, and the new Varsity was not a renovation of the earlier theatre, but an entirely new building in a different location.

I am writing an architectural history Masters thesis on California theatres with courtyard entrances, using LA's Fox Florence, SB's Arlington, and the Varsity Theatre as examples. Right now the discussion rests upon the convergence of Spanish Revival style trends and exotic theatre design in CA in the later '20s and early '30s, local architectural context, and practical conditions for the use of courtyards (ie to place auditoriums farther back on the lot, works with climate, etc.). Any insights into this seemingly rare typology would be welcomed.

During the academic year 1976-77 I had the opportunity to visit the New Varsity thetare several times.
To bad it is not functioning ant more.
Hope it will revive.
Paul Reichberg
Sweden

This is an interior photo of the Borders Bookstore former Varsity Theater.

Obviously I am happy that they saved something. But it seems like a clumsy layout for Borders, sort of like the flea markets that have been set up in old theatres at times. I wonder why they opted for this design, instead of simply gutting the place?

Why? Because gutting the place would have destroyed the building. At least in this case, they get the store, and preserve an old historic building at the same time. I think it's great!

I think it is great too. But if I were planning a bookstore, I would much rather have a big, open, rectangular space to work with. In this case they adapted a series of old spaces with various shape and size characterisitics. It seems clumsy from a design standpoint is all I am saying. It surprises me to see a big corporation go to such trouble. The only thing I can figure is that they really wanted the site and were willing to compromise with some sort of local preservaiton effort.

This website has some photos of the Varsity Theater and the book store. The photos on the sides of the page can be expanded by clicking on them.

Those of us who worked with the developer to urge the retention of as many historic details as possible tried to get the architect to place the stairway to the upper level at the far end of the former auditorium, to preserve a more open feeling. We were told this was impossible, as doing so would have jeopardized the integrity of the new structure inside. One of the conditions for allowing development of the site into a bookstore was that the second level have the ability to be removed without structural harm to the original theater fabric, should revival as a theater (likely live) ever be undertaken. The extended sections of the building running alongside the original sidewalls could be converted into subsidiary rooms to support the performance facility. Whether or not such an undertaking will ever come about is impossible to ascertain. There are no plans at this time to do so.

Here is another photo of the book store.

1931 Photo

1982 Photo

Great photos. It's nice that this theater is at least preserved.

This is a jumbo version of the postcard view at the top right side of this page.

The year given for this photo is 1986.