Stephen's Meat Products

Oaks Theatre (Closed)
Berkeley, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the neon outside the Oaks Theatre in Berkeley. This neighborhood movie house gave Solano Avenue a little nighttime sparkle, with its projecting sign announcing the evening’s entertainment long before anyone reached the ticket window.

The Oaks opened in September 1925 and received a restoration under Renaissance Rialto in 1994. For decades, it was the sort of place where a trip to the movies meant heading down the neighborhood shopping street.

Its regular movie run ended in 2010, followed by years of vacancy. Fortunately, the building found a new attraction that required considerably more movement than sitting through a double feature.

UPDATE: The Oaks now operates as a Touchstone bouldering gym, with its historic facade and neon marquee preserved. 10-26

Guild Theatre
Menlo Park, CA
Photo courtesy Matt Walsh

The nighttime glow outside the Guild Theatre makes a fine attraction along El Camino Real in Menlo Park. Its neon and old theatre styling give passing motorists something to admire, even when the evening’s show isn’t on their itinerary.

Opened in 1926, the Guild spent decades as a neighborhood cinema, showing everything from mainstream movies to independent films. Its moviegoing chapter ended in 2019, but this closing came with another act waiting in the wings.

UPDATE: The Guild reopened as a concert venue in February 2022 and remains active under the nonprofit Peninsula Arts Guild. Touring musicians now take the place of movie stars on the bill. The old theatre still draws a crowd, although the soundtrack now comes straight from the stage. 10-26

Crest Theatre
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

There’s plenty of nighttime showmanship outside Sacramento’s Crest Theatre. The tall neon sign and broad marquee give K Street a proper movie-palace greeting. Here’s an entrance that makes even a quick walk past feel a little like opening night.

The building’s entertainment history reaches back to its days as the Empress vaudeville theatre, followed by the Hippodrome. A major remodel introduced the Crest in 1949, with That Midnight Kiss starring Mario Lanza as the opening attraction.

UPDATE: The marquee received its much-needed restoration in 2009, returning its historic colors and neon glow. Fortunately, the old entrance got another chance to shine. 02-09

UPDATE: The Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento will be getting a much needed face-lift. According to the Sacramento Bee, Sacramento officials felt that the Crest "bridges downtown Sacramento's past with its future". The neon will be temporarily removed in the spring to allow for the marquee to be repainted to its original colors. 02-09

UPDATE: The Crest remains an active entertainment venue. Owner Bob Emerick and his daughter Ellie took over day-to-day operations in 2025, with repairs to the neon among the improvements. Films, concerts, and special events continue to give visitors a reason to gather beneath that big marquee. 10-26

Esquire Theatre
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Look up at the tall Esquire Theatre sign in downtown Sacramento. Those big illuminated letters were designed to get noticed, giving moviegoers a landmark to aim for along K Street. Apparently, a modest little sign wasn’t going to do the job here.

The Esquire opened on March 15, 1940, with a Moderne design by theatre architect William B. David. Its tower and marquee gave the building a distinctive presence among the downtown storefronts.

The theatre later underwent a major transformation as part of the Esquire Plaza development. A new IMAX auditorium brought a different scale of moviegoing to the property while preserving reminders of the old theatre outside.

UPDATE: The Esquire returned as an IMAX theatre in 1999 and continues showing movies. Its recognizable exterior sign remains part of the K Street scenery, carrying the old name into another generation of big-screen entertainment. 10-26

Tower Theatre
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

There’s no missing the neon-topped Tower Theatre in Sacramento. That tall, glowing landmark gives the corner of Broadway and Land Park Drive a little extra nighttime personality. The theatre’s name certainly doesn’t leave much to explain.

Opened in 1938, the Tower became one of Sacramento’s most recognizable movie houses. Its vertical design draws the eye upward, with the illuminated trim making the building an attraction before the feature even begins.

There’s a record-store connection here, too. Russ Solomon began selling records inside his father’s Tower Drugs in the theatre complex, setting the stage for what became Tower Records. Quite a bit of entertainment history gathered around one tower.

UPDATE: The Tower remains an operating cinema, continuing its long moviegoing tradition. Fortunately, Sacramento still has this familiar landmark to admire on the way into a show. The tower outside remains a good reason to pause before heading for the popcorn. 10-26

Bridge Theatre (Closed)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The red neon outside San Francisco’s Bridge Theatre makes a fine outline against the fading evening sky. This neighborhood movie house didn’t need a giant tower to attract attention. A glowing facade and the evening’s title on the marquee could do plenty.

The Bridge opened in 1939 and became known for international and independent films. Some attractions settled in for quite a stay: Zorba the Greek ran for 29 weeks in 1965, while Georgy Girl followed with a 23-week engagement in 1966–67.

Those were the days when a successful picture could become almost as familiar as the theatre itself. No need to wonder what was playing this week if the same attraction had been there for months.

UPDATE: The Bridge closed on December 27, 2012, with The Perks of Being a Wallflower as its final film. The building survived the end of its moviegoing days, but the regular coming attractions stopped. Another San Francisco neighborhood screen faded to black. 10-26

Orinda Theatre
Orinda, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the glowing marquee at the Orinda Theatre, a familiar landmark that brings a little movie-palace glamour to town. The tall sign gives motorists plenty to admire outside, while the decorative interior carries the showmanship right through the doors. 10-05

The theatre opened in December 1941, built for Donald Rheem and designed by architect Alexander Aimwell Cantin. Its murals and elaborate styling gave local audiences considerably more than a plain room with a screen.

By 1984, demolition threatened the old theatre. Fortunately, preservation supporters pushed for a different ending. The surrounding Theatre Square development was built around the theatre, which was renovated and reopened in 1989. Two additional vintage-style auditoriums followed in 1996. More screens joined the lineup, but the original movie palace remained the centerpiece.

UPDATE: The Orinda continues to host movies, classic-film matinees, concerts, and special events. The old theatre remains a recognizable part of town, with its distinctive marquee still announcing another evening’s entertainment. Fortunately, this coming attraction never became a demolition notice. 10-26