State Theatre
23 W. Elm Street,
Lodi,
CA
95240
23 W. Elm Street,
Lodi,
CA
95240
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Related Websites
Merlot Reception Hall (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, T & D Jr. Enterprises
Functions: Banquet Hall
Previous Names: Tokay Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Tokay Theatre was opened in 1908. It was renovated in June 1915. State Theatre was reportedly opened in 1912. It was remodeled in 1928 and was taken over by National Theatres. It was closed for several years in the early-1930’s. It was a long, narrow theatre with a tall, brick stage house. It was taken over by T&D Jr. Enterprises on March 12, 1937 and renamed State Theatre. In the early-1950’s it was run by Fox West Coast Theatres, who closed the house in August, 1954.
Various independent operators attempted to revive the State Theatre over the next couple of years, but it was finally converted into a night club. In 1999, extensive remodeling was done to convert it to its current use, a banquet and reception hall called the Merlot.
The web site for the Merlot Banquet Hall features several photos of the theatre as it is now (from which all of the original decoration appears to have been removed), but no historic photos as yet.
Contributed by
Joe Vogel
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
This opened on August 27th, 1937.
you can see the multi-page opening announcements at View link
It was opened on the site of the old Tokay theatre.
The AKA Tokay Theatre needs to be added, per the article in rivest266’s link in the previous comment. A March 12, 1937, Lodi News-Sentinel article here tells of the purchase of the Tokay Theatre by the T&D Jr. circuit. The house had been closed for several years a that time.
The March 12 article says that the Tokay Theatre began operating in 1908, but a May 8, 1915, article in the Lodi Sentinel said that construction was underway on the Tokay Theatre, and that it would be opened by June 1, so apparently the house was rebuilt that year.
A major remodeling was carried out in 1928, as told in this article from the April 7 issue of the Sentinel. A short time later, the Tokay Theatre was taken over by National Theatres, then also operators of the Lodi Theatre.
In its last days, the State operated as a Spanish language house, but this proved unsuccessful. The State Theatre had ended its run as a movie house by November, 1961, when it was converted into a dance hall.
1913 photo postcard as Tokay Theatre added credit Mark Kittinger. Tokay Theatre still needs to be added as a Previous Names per above post.