Rialto Cinemas Cerrito
10070 San Pablo Avenue,
El Cerrito,
CA
94530
10070 San Pablo Avenue,
El Cerrito,
CA
94530
6 people
favorited this 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
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Recent comments (view all 41 comments)
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
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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).
Here is a 2009 photo.
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.
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.
February 2009 photo of the Cerrito Theatre courtesy dnl slavin.
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This is not being operated by Rennaisance Rialto. Rennaisance operates the Grand Lake and formerly the Park, Orinda and Oaks. Rialto Cinemas is a completely different guy.
2010 photo of the Rialto Cinema Cerrito.
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Another 2010 photo of the Rialto Cinemas Cerrito. (Night Shot)
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Great theater! I love it’s Art Deco interior.