El Monte Theatre
11006 Main Street,
El Monte,
CA
91731
11006 Main Street,
El Monte,
CA
91731
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Metropolitan Theatres
Architects: Earl T. Heitschmidt
Functions: Retail
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
The El Monte Theatre was built for Sanborn Theatres in 1939. It was twinned in later years before closing.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
The El Monte was built for Arthur Sanborn, founder of Sanborn Theatres, which today operates using the name The Movie Experience.
I stopped by yesterday. The vertical El Monte sign remains, but there’s little else left of this place.
The building has been stripped bare, and they’re planning on using it for retail, so it’s not really a theater any more.
It’s hard to believe now, but in the 1950’s this was a going concern. Around 1955, we went to see “Song of the South” at a Saturday matinee. We lined up down Valley, and when we finally got into the show, they were seating us IN THE AISLES on the floor, aligning a row with a seat row, filling each aisle about halfway across. I think they got an additional 2 or 3 kids per row doing this. Hey what did I know, it was 4th grade!
A photo from Sept 2009:
View link
The CBS show “48 Hours Mystery” had a shot of the theater marquee in a recent show.
As of April 2012 the El Monte Theatre has been transformed into a two story office complex with a dentist office on the second floor. A local developer purchased the theatre and built the dentist office for his daughter. He is developing a small night club and event center on the first floor and is considering knocking a large opening in the house left wall to have patio seating in the parking lot next to the theatre. Nothing remains of the original decor of the theatre and it is very difficult to see any traces of the theatre architecture except for the exterior blade sign.
ArchitectDB says there is a “d” in the architect’s name: Heitschmidt. He worked on some pretty impressive projects, but usually as the associate of some better known lead architect.
Google Street View shows that the modern address where the El Monte Theatre’s entrance used to be is 11006 Valley Mall. Current ground floor tenants are a pharmacy and what might be a clothing outlet or might be a garment industry sweatshop, or maybe both.
Valley Mall has gone back to its historic name, Main Street. Address numbers are unchanged.