The Capri theater was the second theater in the area where I worked after having come from the Hillcrest theater that later was, unfortunately, renamed Cooper Cinemas. The Hillcrest theatre was closed when the owners, a church organization, wanted to use the facility strictly for their church. I think it remains a church today.
The Capri Theater was owned by Plitt and the manager at the time, Jim, moved over to the Northpoint theater in San Francisco. The owner of the Hillcrest theater operation signed a lease to take over Capri Theater around 1981 or so. I came in to run it, having briefly been at the San Pablo theaters, which were run by the same man. We showed two second run features for $2.00 and offered a large popcorn with refills for about $2.00. It was a great place to work while going to high school because I managed the facility and hired trustworthy friends. Some 30 years later I am still friends with people I met while managing the Capri Theater.
The theater was large and unfortunately the owner, at the time, did not do a great deal to keep it updated and clean. It was sad to see this beautiful theater start to fade and not being able to do anything about it. The owners got rid of the union projectionists and the union janitor was asked to stay under a different contract. That’s when I knew it was time to move on. The owner offered me an opportunity to work at his newly acquired theater, The Park Theater in Lafayette. I would spend about a year there before it was time to move on and head to LA to go to college.
The Capri theater was the second theater in the area where I worked after having come from the Hillcrest theater that later was, unfortunately, renamed Cooper Cinemas. The Hillcrest theatre was closed when the owners, a church organization, wanted to use the facility strictly for their church. I think it remains a church today.
The Capri Theater was owned by Plitt and the manager at the time, Jim, moved over to the Northpoint theater in San Francisco. The owner of the Hillcrest theater operation signed a lease to take over Capri Theater around 1981 or so. I came in to run it, having briefly been at the San Pablo theaters, which were run by the same man. We showed two second run features for $2.00 and offered a large popcorn with refills for about $2.00. It was a great place to work while going to high school because I managed the facility and hired trustworthy friends. Some 30 years later I am still friends with people I met while managing the Capri Theater.
The theater was large and unfortunately the owner, at the time, did not do a great deal to keep it updated and clean. It was sad to see this beautiful theater start to fade and not being able to do anything about it. The owners got rid of the union projectionists and the union janitor was asked to stay under a different contract. That’s when I knew it was time to move on. The owner offered me an opportunity to work at his newly acquired theater, The Park Theater in Lafayette. I would spend about a year there before it was time to move on and head to LA to go to college.