From a male friend who worked at The Oakland Tribune in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. The newspaper morgue (library) was located in the old theater. I asked him what he remembered:
“Actually they had a false ceiling but I do have some memories of the storage area where the photo dept was. That was up in the rafters sort of and it was a cubbyhole type area. Until they moved out the false ceiling I don’t think you could have seen it. The remodel was cheesy and they did a good job of making it ugly. I understand the women’s bathroom was great but of course I was never let in.”
An architectural website about the building that currently occupies the site says: “The 3,000 seat Electric Theater, built with a full orchestra pit in 1902 for vaudeville (before silent films) saw its final curtain call followed by a wrecking ball in 1969.” Was the Boller Bros. theater a remodel?
It was built in 1909 as Luke’s Nickelodeon. It supposedly contains the original fully functional stage. The city of Berkeley wants to tear it down to provide parking for the police parking enforcement office next door.
Scroll down to the end of this article to read about a 94 year old woman’s memories of the Harding.
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From a male friend who worked at The Oakland Tribune in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. The newspaper morgue (library) was located in the old theater. I asked him what he remembered:
“Actually they had a false ceiling but I do have some memories of the storage area where the photo dept was. That was up in the rafters sort of and it was a cubbyhole type area. Until they moved out the false ceiling I don’t think you could have seen it. The remodel was cheesy and they did a good job of making it ugly. I understand the women’s bathroom was great but of course I was never let in.”
The url below about the Granada & the Boller Bros. lists the Art Theater at 1808 Central Avenue. View link
Updated url for historic information View link
A postcard from the 1950’s with Avenue sign on the right (in the distance). View link
Interior photo View link
An architectural website about the building that currently occupies the site says: “The 3,000 seat Electric Theater, built with a full orchestra pit in 1902 for vaudeville (before silent films) saw its final curtain call followed by a wrecking ball in 1969.” Was the Boller Bros. theater a remodel?
There is a boring multi-plex on the Plaza now.
Restoration Hardware occupies the site. If you’re not familiar with it, they sell home decorating items, not screwdrivers or saws.
The Long’s Drugstore that currently occupies the building is scheduled to be closed.
California Theater under construction in 1920.
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It was built in 1909 as Luke’s Nickelodeon. It supposedly contains the original fully functional stage. The city of Berkeley wants to tear it down to provide parking for the police parking enforcement office next door.
An article on the re-opening is located here: View link
There were also two articles in the Kansas City Star but you have to pay to read them.
Article about the purchase View link
132.htm
Any chance of a website with pictures of the restoration? I spend many happy days (Saturday kids matinees) and evenings there in the 50’s.
Also, history of the theater is located at this url.http://www3.wycokck.org/static/planning.zoning/HISTORY2004/GRANADATHEATRE.pdf
Article about the purchase View link
132.htm
Any chance of a website with pictures of the restoration? I spend many happy days (Saturday kids matinees) and evenings there in the 50’s.
Another article on the closing View link
If you compare the picture of the bakery with the ones located at the other links, it’s obviously the same building or at least the facade.
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Photos
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Photo
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Postcard
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Photo
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Postcard
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Photo: View link
Postcard: View link
Yet another: View link