LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Monrovia
410 S. Myrtle Street,
Monrovia,
CA
91016
410 S. Myrtle Street,
Monrovia,
CA
91016
2 people
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A Texas based dine-in cinema chain called Look Cinemas has the former Monrovia, Redlands, Downey, and Glendale Studio Movie Grill sites listed as coming soon on their website.
This theatre was typical of most Krikorian projects from the late 90’s through the mid 2000’s. The company came on board a city/property “revitalization” project, made a lot of grand claims about what they were going to do & how successful it was going to be, and received early acclaim from civic leaders. Then, reality set in. The promoted features either didn’t live up to their billing or weren’t finished at all. Attendance failed to even approach expectations. Accusations and finger-pointing, regarding unfulfilled promises/work/results, occurred between the company and landlords/vendors/city officials. Monrovia, Downey, Buena Park, Vista, Pico Rivera, etc. It was the same story over and over again; nothing ever seemed to work out as everyone had hoped. That’s not to say any of the theatres or development projects were bad, just that they never lived up to the hype.
The Monrovia Studio Movie Grill closed along with the rest of SMG’s locations for the COVID-Pandemic on March 17, 2020. SMG declared bankruptcy on October 25, 2020 and began closing locations, The SMG Monrovia was removed from the SMG website a year after the pandemic closure in March of 2021 likely making the closure permanent.
This opened on November 17th, 2000. Grand opening ad in photo section.
This theater was in the background of the pilot episode of ABC’s “The Goldbergs”. I used to frequent this theater a lot until i moved away from the area in the Summer of 2008. The last film I saw here was WALL-E,during the film there were a few people in the theater who smuggled bottles of beer. A few monhts later I went back to this theater to see Saving Mr. Banks. I Plan on coming back in January 2016 to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It is a very great theater, It’s usually never crowded when i went.
My cousin worked at this cinema last year. When I asked about the upstairs and why no one is allowed up there, he said the it’s reserved for “private functions” and plenty of employees hang out up there during their breaks. He has since quit, “proudly” as he stated ;)
By the way, even though I live nearby, I drive to the Arclight in Hollywood if I want to watch new movies. Too many children and teenagers for my liking, I mean… what kind of parent brings babies to see Spider-Man 3?!
Maybe I should have said it was “uncompleted” in December of 2000, but I’ve never been there so I’m unaware of the state of the place. It’s one of the projects listed by TransMineral USA, the company that makes the hydraulic lime (I believe it’s similar to the material that used to be called cast stone) with which the building appears to be partly faced. Their website gives the date of completion as December, 2000.
Krikorian’s Monrovia Cinema 12 was completed in December, 2000. It was designed by Gensler & Associates. I suppose the style might be described as a post-modern eclectic mannerism, but whatever the style, I’ve come to think of it as mouskitecture, in honor (or dishonor) of Mickey. Appropriately, Gensler & Associates also designed the AMC Theatres at Downtown Disney multiplex.
One last thing, it was never finished as of a few years ago and the upstairs recently was still closed.
Here are two April 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/64l4tx
http://tinyurl.com/66dgl2
The main words about this theatre: NEVER FINISHED.
this theatre is a relatively small neighborhood theatre. 10 relatively small screens (less than 150 seats) and two theatres that hold about 250-300. One of the main theatres is an LFX screen. When this theatre was built, it originally had 3 concession stands planned. One was never finished and never opened. Its used on occasion for some merchandise. The Elevator never opened to go to the upstairs level. In fact, for years……unfinished. Upstairs they originally planned a bar, then a kids room, then a coffee bar, then back to bar……but it was, you guessed it, NEVER FINISHED. The stairway is behind the Box Office.