Mann Grove 9

3450 College Avenue,
San Diego, CA 92115

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Showing 11 comments

Zubi
Zubi on April 25, 2026 at 1:47 am

Hi Renee. I suppose that I could be misremembering things. If you are certain that you never worked at Mann Grove 9 before 1998, then I must be mistaken - i.e. conflating The Grove with the Valley Circle. Either way, I recall phoning in many passes and you were kind enough to ok them (I was the mgr. then for Krikorian El Cajon). Perhaps you filled in at Mann Hazard Center on occasion? I called in many passes there too. By ‘98 though, I was long out of SD and theatres. Still, you and I worked at some of the same places and knew some of the same people (Judy D. at the Loma, Greg S. at Mann Sports Arena, Jennifer Deering P. at Mann UTC, Gary S. at Mann Plaza Bonita, etc.). I even worked with Patty F. one night at the Valley Circle (loaned out as an usher for a sneak preview of “Top Secret!” with Val Kilmer). When I was asst. mgr. at UA Horton Plaza, I also hung out a couple times with Mandy D. from the Cinema 21 (inviting her and Eric T. to Horton for an after-hours screening; they reciprocating with an office soiree at the 21).

rthompson_14
rthompson_14 on April 23, 2026 at 10:02 pm

Hey Zubi - I didn’t work at the College Grove 9 until March 1998 (about 6 months before it closed). I got bounced from the Valley Circle to the College Grove 9 when the VC was closed. I felt I should have been the one to “close” the Valley Circle since I had worked there since the Loma closed but Mann Theatres didn’t see it that way. Did I give you a passes when I was at the Valley Circle?? As for what replaced the College Grove 9? I believe it was Sam’s Club. Not sure what’s there now.

Jaywm830
Jaywm830 on December 25, 2025 at 9:53 pm

Now Ross Dress for Less at the College Marketplace. Please update.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 4, 2024 at 4:04 pm

Grand opening ad posted. It opened on December 16th, 1988.

MOlpin
MOlpin on August 25, 2013 at 10:37 am

The 24 Hr Fitness occupies the building that used to be the bowling alley. Most of the rest of the original center, including the theater, has been demolished. Sam’s Club sits on the spot where the theater once stood. The Kohl’s store, having previously been occupied by Mervyn’s, along with a few outbuildings are all that remain of the original Marketplace at The Grove.

LebowskiT1000
LebowskiT1000 on April 24, 2013 at 2:59 pm

I went to this theater years ago, the only film I saw there was “A Perfect Murder” in July of 1998, shortly after that, it was demolished. I went to the shopping center today to take some pics of the shopping center and to see if I could remember where it was located, but I quickly realized that I have no idea where it was located. My guess is that it is where the 24 Hour Fitness now sits, however I am really not sure. can anyone confirm or deny this?

Filmwrath82
Filmwrath82 on July 11, 2012 at 10:31 pm

Thanks so much Lebowski, I’ll look around and yes you are right, National City, thank you so much for the helpful info :)

LebowskiT1000
LebowskiT1000 on June 27, 2012 at 3:05 pm

To Filmwrath82, I’ve never been to the Sweetwater theater you mentioned, however I googled around and found a theater with the same name in National City, so I believe that is the same one you speak of. I added it today, however I do not have any photos or even much in the way of information about this theater. When it gets posted, you can make some comments and perhaps fill in the gaps for everyone.

CityHeights78
CityHeights78 on June 2, 2012 at 3:29 am

Great memories at this theater! Saw many of the late ‘80s and '90s blockbusters there: Batman,Batman Returns Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, Jacob’s Ladder, Dick Tracy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 & 2, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, Pet Sematary, Home Alone, Back To The Future III, Awakenings, The Witches, Arachnophobia. Whew!!! Miss it, and the Yellow Brick Road arcade next door, and of course, the bowling alley.

Filmwrath82
Filmwrath82 on April 29, 2012 at 9:05 pm

I remember going to this theatre pretty frequently in the 1990’s when I lived in San Diego as a kid. I remember seeing the first Ninja Turtles movie on opening weekend (Sunday) at this theatre and it was PACKED, fun times. Also saw, Robocop 2 Arachnaphobia, fun times!

I really wish someone would put the AMC Sweetwater San Diego theatre in the database.

Zubi
Zubi on August 22, 2011 at 10:34 pm

Hey Renee – If you stumble upon this webpage someday, a huge thank you for the all those passes that you gave me from 1990 to 1992, when you were an assistant here.