Harding Theatre
616 Divisadero Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94117
616 Divisadero Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94117
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: San Francisco Theaters Ltd.
Architects: James Reid, Merritt Reid
Firms: Reid Brothers
Functions: Bar
Styles: Gothic Revival
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Sep 2, 2008 — Struggle to save the Harding Theatre nears its fourth year
- Jan 28, 2005 — SF's Harding Theater Endangered!
The Harding Theatre opened on April 8, 1926 with Colleen Moore in “Irene”, a second-run attraction. It was built by Samuel H. Levin with the Reid Brothers as architects. As a link in the Levin chain of neighboorhood theaters known as San Francisco Theatres, Inc. it served as a neighborhood film house until it closed in 1970.
In the intervening years it has been a venue for The Lamplighters, a Gilbert and Sullivan group, and, more recently, as a church, which moved out in 2004. In November 2017 it opened as an amusement arcade and bar.
Contributed by
tillmany
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
Just came across this today:
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Scroll down to the end of this article to read about a 94 year old woman’s memories of the Harding.
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On November 13, 2008, all seven members of the San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously approved an appeal by The Friends of 1800 historical preservation group regarding a developer’s plans to demolish the back portion of the Harding Theater to build condominiums and make substantial modifications to the remainder. The next day, the developer announced his intention to sell the building.
For more info see: http://savetheharding.blogspot.com/
-and-Friends of 1800 site mentioned above.
This was also used as a performance hall for rock concerts. The Grateful Dead played here on November 6 and 7, 1971.
Exterior photos from July 2015.
It is now being worked on to bring It open again as a bar/club with arcade games.
I walked by the Harding this morning on my way to the Divisadero Farmer’s Market. I noticed several planning dept notices on the boarded over entrance that seemed to indicate (from terrywade’s July 18 post) that indeed work is going on inside. This is all I could find online regarding this project;
Harding
Did some digging on the SF Planning Dept site and this came up for 616 Divisadero:
Description: 616 Divisadero Street – Emporium SF – Entertainment Commission – Place of Entertainment, Mechanical Amusement Device and Billiard Parlor — Other Entertainment use is permitted in the Divisadero Street NCT per Planning Code Section 746.48. Amusement Game Arcade use requires Conditional Use authorization per Planning Code Section 746.69B. Conditional Use authorization granted by Planning Commission Motion No. 19512.
A permit and conditional use permit were approved June 7, 2016.
“91-Year-Old Divisadero St Theater Reborn As ‘Emporium SF’ Arcade Bar”
HardingTheatre
At least they didn’t knock it down. What a beautiful old theater. I must have driven past it a million times knowing nothing about its history.