Covina, CA - The Covina Theatre opened up in the 1920's and was a downtown Covina staple for entertainment. Beginning in 2004, renovation on the Covina Theatre began. Unfortunately, not all went as planned. 05-04
Covina Theater
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Covina Theater gave downtown Citrus Avenue something every good shopping street needed—a place to catch a show after the stores closed. Its familiar name above the sidewalk welcomed generations of moviegoers, back when an evening out meant checking the marquee and stopping at the ticket window. For longtime residents, this was more than another storefront. It was where the afternoon shopping trip could turn into a night at the movies.
Covina Marquee Close-up
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The theatre’s story reaches back to the early 1920s, when silent pictures brought audiences downtown. Architect Frank Cox designed the original house, and a sweet shop called The Candy Box opened in the same building just before Christmas 1921. Between the movies and the candy counter, youngsters had a pretty good reason to make this corner a regular stop.
Unfortunately, the building was deemed structurally unsound so the building was rebuilt instead. Word is the marquee is a copy of the original lettering.
Covina Theater Site in April 2004
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here's a shot of the theatre while it was going through the initial renovation in April 2004. The original marquee had been removed at this point.
Like many neighborhood theatres, the Covina changed with the times. Remodels accommodated new equipment and changing tastes, while a marquee added in 1961 gave the entrance another familiar look. Live theatre eventually took over from the movies, and the Covina Valley Playhouse carried the entertainment tradition into the 1990s. The attraction inside had changed, but audiences were still coming down Citrus Avenue for a show.
Much of the theatre building and the original sign was either torn or taken down in 2005. According to Cinema Treasures, the original plan was to restore the building into a performing arts theatre. This was before unforeseen issues with the buildings structure were uncovered during the original restoration work.
The lit up marquee at night
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
A much larger change arrived after Chris and Retha Champion began operating the property in 2001. What started as a restoration became an extensive rebuilding project when serious structural problems were uncovered. Much of the old theatre and its sign came down in 2005. The replacement Covina Center for the Performing Arts opened in October 2007, bringing a new auditorium and entrance to the longtime entertainment address at 104 N. Citrus Avenue.
Here's a shot of the theatre while it was going through the initial renovation in April 2004. The original marquee had been removed at this point.
The new CCPA in 2008
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The familiar Covina lettering received special attention. The deteriorated steel letters were recreated in aluminum, carrying the old name onto the new marquee. Although the original movie house was largely gone, that recognizable lettering helped connect the new performing arts center with the theatre remembered by earlier generations.
The new Covina Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) opened to the public in October 2007. According to the CCPA website, hundreds of bricks from the old theatre was formed into artwork and installed into a residential home. 04-05
Close-up of the new marquee
Covina, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The City of Covina purchased the property in December 2022, supported by a $3 million state grant, and partnered with the Laugh Factory to bring regular comedy shows downtown. Concerts, community performances, and special events also keep the venue busy. The old movie screen has given way to a different bill, but there’s still a reason to head down Citrus Avenue after dinner and see what’s playing beneath the Covina name. 10-26
Covina Theater
Covina Marquee Close-up
Covina Theater Site in April 2004
The lit up marquee at night
The new CCPA in 2008
Close-up of the new marquee
