Loma Theater (Closed)
San Diego, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
Check out the neon on the Loma Theater, where the marquee still looks ready to announce the next big picture. The tall tower and sweeping entrance make quite a roadside combination. With a front like this, the evening’s entertainment could begin before anyone bought a ticket.
Opened in 1947, the Loma belongs to the days when a movie house had its own way of getting noticed. The large lettering rises above the entrance, giving passing motorists plenty to admire. Finding the theater probably wasn’t much of a challenge, especially once the neon came on.
The movies eventually moved out, but the building found another way to keep customers browsing. Bookshelves took the place of theater seating, and visitors could trade a couple of hours watching a story for a few hours choosing one. Take a look overhead, too. The painted ceiling is another reminder that this wasn’t always a bookstore.
UPDATE: The former theater remains open as Bookstar, part of Barnes & Noble. Its marquee and painted ceiling survive, keeping the old movie-house atmosphere around while customers look over the shelves. Quite a setting for picking up a paperback, though the entrance might still leave a traveler wondering what time the feature starts. 10-26
Spreckels Theatre (Closed)
San Diego, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
Along Broadway in downtown San Diego, the Spreckels Theatre offers a reminder of when an evening out called for a proper theater entrance. The canopy reaches over the sidewalk, giving pedestrians a little preview of the grand surroundings waiting beyond the doors.
The theater opened in 1912, commissioned by John D. Spreckels and designed by Harrison Albright. Plays, movies, and touring productions have all had their turn here. Quite a few opening nights have passed beneath that Broadway frontage.
UPDATE: The theater closed during the 2020 pandemic and remained shuttered in the latest reporting, which described plans for a 2026 auction of the property. Restoration proposals have yet to bring performances back. For now, this longtime downtown stage is still waiting for its next curtain call. 10-26
Coronado Playhouse (Gone)
Coronado, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
A little farther along the Strand from the Hotel del Coronado, the Coronado Playhouse offers another reason to linger on the island. The beach may get most of the attention, but an evening of live theater makes a pretty good change from watching the waves.
Founded in 1946, the playhouse has given local performers and audiences plenty of opportunities to meet across the footlights. Its longtime presence adds a community theater stop to Coronado’s collection of hotels, storefronts, and seaside attractions. No need to head across the bridge to catch a show.
UPDATE: The company moved into its present venue at the Coronado Community Center in 2006 and continues staging productions at 1835 Strand Way. The old playhouse setting has changed, but the performances carry on. Another act for this longtime Coronado institution. 10-26
