Regency Movies at the Esplanade

The 760-seat Mann 3 Theatre opened on December 25, 1974, joining another Mann theater on Channel Islands Boulevard, which opened in 1969.

The Los Angeles Times reported on October 10, 1991 that five picketers were in front of the theater protesting a film. Due to its unusual title it was not displayed on the marquee, only “a Ken Russell film Rated NC-17.” The Times published the real title in its news story. Mann did not comment on the absence of the title on the marquee and the picketers admitted that they had not seen the film.

According to a notice in the listings of the Oxnard Press-Courier, the theater’s last day of operation was October 17, 1991. It was noted that Mann considered the theater a sub-run facility and desired not to renew the lease. On October 31 the Times published a photograph of employees removing equipment and the mall’s management said they were searching for a new tenant.

On May 21, 1993 American Family Theatres, after spending $300,000 on a bare-walls renovation, reopened the theater. They planned to charge discount prices for films that had been out over a month. The small chain, owned by Jay and Tom Brand, had other locations in Anaheim, Redlands and San Bernardino.

The Ventura Star reported on April 30, 1999 that Regency Theatres had taken over operations and renovated it with new seats and planned to return it to first-run films. With a quick twist of fate, it closed in February of 2000 when the mall decided not to renew Regency’s lease. The mall was razed in 2000 and a big-box center was built on the site.

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