Civic Auditorium Theatre

On January 27, 1923, the San Luis Obispo Telegram reported the opening of the theater in the Civic Club with the film “Notoriety”, staring Rod La Rocque. Two modern picture projecting machines were installed.

“It is Mrs. Warden’s plan to place the clubhouse, belonging to the Woman’s Civic Club and one of the few enterprises of its kind in the state, on a paying basis by means of the picture shows and then to turn it over to the community for its use. To this end motion picture admission prices will be lowered, and a charge of twenty-two cents will be made for adults and ten Cents for children.” The aforementioned Mrs. Warden was Queenie Warden, founder of the Civic Club in 1915.

On February 17, 1923, it was reported, “Through a new arrangement with the Metro Corporation, the Civic Auditorium theater will be the representative of that corporation for San Luis Obispo, showing the films booked by the Metro corporation exclusively. This announcement is of interest to a large number of motion picture lovers, who have been attending the shows given at the Civic Club since its official opening following the remodeling of the building. While not all the films shown will be Metro pictures is stated the films will be booked through that agency and the pictures shown are to be new and first class. The arrangement whereby the Metro people have a local picture house representing them exclusively has worked out as a mutual benefit in other places, according to Mrs. Warden, president of the Woman’s Civic Club, through whom the change was made, and is already in effect in San Luis Obispo.”

In 1925 the Civic Club became the Monday Club and in 1934 the building was replaced by the Julia Morgan-designed Monday Club building.

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