Park Theatre

37411 Fremont Boulevard,
Fremont, CA 94536

Unfavorite 3 people favorited this theater

Additional Info

Architects: Alexander Aimwell Cantin

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Center Theatre, Cine Azteca, ABC Center, Naz Cinema

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 510.797.6666

Nearby Theaters

News About This Theater

Terrazzo detail

First movie theatre to open in this district, which today is in Fremont, CA. At the time it opened, in 1946, it was located in the town of Centerville. The theatre seats 700 and has a balcony and a stage area.

The theatre showed movies until the early-1970’s, then became a discount theatre, then briefly showed porn, then went back to second-run films. It became a Spanish language theatre from 1978 to 1986 and was called Cine Azteca.

In 1986, it became the ABC Center and showed first run films until 1988. In the early-1990’s, it became the Naz Cinema, the first Indian language theatre in the San Francisco Bay Area and was quite successful.

The Naz Cinema operation moved to the Fremont Hub shopping center in 2000 and the Center Theatre was then shuttered.

The Center Theatre briefly housed a church from late-2001 into 2002. The building was sold to a company named CA Cinema, and in Summer of 2007, it was re-opened as the Park Theatre, screening Indian movies. New projection and digital sound equipment have been installed, as well as stadium seating.

In late-2010, it was announced the Park Theatre would become an Afghan cultural center, and broadcast studio.

Contributed by scottfavareille

Recent comments (view all 29 comments)

scottfavareille
scottfavareille on August 31, 2007 at 3:51 am

To add to last comment, website is www.cacinema.com They show movies from South India (Telogu) language.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on October 3, 2007 at 1:50 am

According to the blog which provided this relatively recent photo, the theater is in the Little Kabul section of Fremont:
http://tinyurl.com/2gohnf

spectrum
spectrum on March 9, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Now open as the Park Cinema. Shows 1st run south asian films (i.e. Indian subcontinent). They have installed state of the art projection and DTS equipment and stadium seating.

darquil
darquil on April 19, 2010 at 5:22 am

Their website appears to have been last updated on January 4, 2010. Anyone know if this place is still open?

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on November 24, 2010 at 4:28 am

This now slated to become an Afghan cultural arts center and broadcasting studio: View link

vokoban
vokoban on February 21, 2011 at 10:03 pm

Here is a picture of this theater from a few days ago: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vokoban/5465477287/

pseudoholomorphic
pseudoholomorphic on August 10, 2011 at 4:13 am

“Open (Showing Movies)” isn’t the right designation. There are few signs of life in the “Afghan Cultural Center”. Last time I was nearby, they had a sign up for a one-off event several months prior (I forget what, but it wasn’t a film), and the proprietor of Da Afghanan Kabab House next door says that nothing happens there.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 9, 2011 at 7:11 am

A May, 2011, report from the Fremont planning commission has some information about the Center Theatre. The house was built by the Salih Brothers, and was owned and operated by the Salih family until 1973. Salih Brothers was a major contracting company which built many theaters and other buildings in California. The architect of the Center Theatre was A. A. Cantin.

GaryParks
GaryParks on August 30, 2017 at 8:09 am

The theatre has been closed for several years now and does not appear well cared for. the two retail spaces flanking the entrance are in operation.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 17, 2018 at 12:22 am

This reopened as ABC Center on June 4th, 1986. Small grand opening ad posted.

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.