Garmar Theater

2325 Whittier Boulevard,
Montebello, CA 90640

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres

Architects: Simeon Charles Lee

Styles: Quonset Hut

Nearby Theaters

Photo courtesy of Benny Ballejo.

This S. Charles Lee-designed theater was built in the Quonset Hut style. The Garmar Theater opened on March 29, 1950. It was closed in July 1981 and was soon demolished later that year. A mini-mall was built on the site.

Contributed by BHousos

Recent comments (view all 61 comments)

rwhiteside
rwhiteside on November 22, 2009 at 9:31 am

So…I was cleaning out an old house here in Los Lunas,NM and found a well preserved, unopened bottle of ‘Private Stock’ Chablis from the Marcel & Jeanne French Cafe in Montebello. Before I opened it or tossed it, I Googled the Cafe and found the musings from all you ol' geezers trying to relive your childhoods in the old days of Montebello. If anyone might want this bottle of wine, and will pay the shipping, I will be glad to send it back to California where it came from..

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 1, 2010 at 12:18 am

A photo of the lobby of the Garmar was featured on the frontispiece of Boxoffice Magazine’s Modern Theatre section, December 2, 1950.

acidjazz
acidjazz on September 12, 2010 at 3:01 pm

You can find many pictures of Montebello’s landmarks on this webpage:
View link

rivest266
rivest266 on June 19, 2011 at 9:15 am

Picture at Boxoffice Vault 1950 08 05 p 1949 Boxoffice Vault

rivest266
rivest266 on June 19, 2011 at 9:16 am

Correction: Page 194 not 1949

rustyoltimer
rustyoltimer on February 26, 2012 at 10:22 pm

FYI, the Garmar got its name from the Olander’s two sons, GARy and MARk. It also was the only theatre I ever knew of that had two enclosed rooms for smoking. Each had a clear glass window, speakers for the sound, and each held about 25-30 seats.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 26, 2012 at 10:36 pm

Here is a fresh link to the photo of the Garmar’s lobby on the cover of the “Modern Theatre” section of Boxoffice, December 2, 1950.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 12, 2019 at 12:16 pm

Grand opening ad posted.

nixols
nixols on July 24, 2020 at 12:42 pm

The most recent advertisement I found in the Los Angeles Times was on 18 July 1981 for The Fox and the Hound, and the assessor says the mini mall that replaced it was built in 1981, which leads me to believe that it was demolished in 1981. However, American Classic Images has a photo dated April, 1983. Although both films on the marquee were released in May, 1981. http://americanclassicimages.com/Search/CA1743/txtSearch/bell

Ossraa
Ossraa on February 16, 2023 at 4:58 pm

The Pufnstuf movie played there for a while in 1970.

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