El Rey Theatre
230 W. 2nd Street,
Chico,
CA
95928
230 W. 2nd Street,
Chico,
CA
95928
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: T & D Jr. Enterprises, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Firms: Starks & Flanders
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Majestic Theatre, National Theatre, American Theatre
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jun 13, 2007 — El Rey can still be saved!
- Feb 25, 2005 — El Rey Theater to Close, Faces Destruction
This was opened as the Majestic Theatre in 1905. The theatre now has a very bland flat façade, but a nice orange and red marquee. The vertical sign is flat against the façade. From September 1, 1925 it was known as the National Theatre, operated by T & D Jr. Enterprises chain. They changed the name to American Theatre on March 18, 1939. It was badly damaged by a fire on October 24, 1946.
It reopened on June 25, 1948 as the El Rey Theatre with Bud Abbott & Lou Costello in “The Noose Hangs High”. It was closed in March of 2005. It was scheduled to be gutted and converted into office and retail space with parking. However, in late-2007 it had re-opened as a live performance venue. It was closed in 2017 and reopened February 10, 2018. It was closed in April 2024 and is ‘For Sale’.
Contributed by
Seth Gaines
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Recent comments (view all 32 comments)
The use of the phrase “store-front theatre” in the first paragraph of the description makes no sense. This building was built as a vaudeville theater in 1905, and has always been a theater, both before and after it was rebuilt following the 1946 fire.
Bill Coady is correct. The El Rey is showing old movies on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with very low admission prices. Furthermore, they take requests on the theater’s Facebook page. There are also many live events upcoming. Apparently the theater is doing well.
The “Save the El Rey” web site that Lost Memory linked to on January 22, 2008, no longer has anything to do with the theater, and now exists only to host advertising links. There’s no point in clicking on it.
A 2010 photo can be seen here.
Current update – The EL Rey is in the process of being sold to a franchise pizza restaurant. It has operated as a concert/event/film space for the past 9 years. The potential new owners plan to turn it into a two story building with high end apartments upstairs and a restaurant below, To my knowledge, there are currently no plans on the part of the potential new owners to maintain it as a theater. Last night, the Chico city counsel voted unanimously to add it to the next counsel meeting agenda, to discuss adding it to the city’s historical preservation listing as well as the legality of doing such. If anyone has any verifiable historical facts on the theater, they would be great to have for the city counsel meeting in 2 weeks. More info can be found at www.elreychico.org
1963 photo added courtesy of Kris Vierra.
The El Rey’s Facebook page lists no events since a concert on February 10. I don’t know how long it’s been since they ran a movie, but I’m quite sure the place does not have any digital projection equipment.
The El Rey, dark for some time, is reopening tomorrow night, Saturday, February 10, 2018, with live performances. Here is their web site. Proceeds from this event will go to continuing renovations of the house.
Sunday night the theater will present the 1938 film Robin Hood, much of which was filmed in Chico’s Bidwell Park.
Renamed National on September 1st, 1925.
Became the American theatre on March 18th, 1939. Grand opening ad posted.
Burned down October 24th, 1946.
American theatre burned Fri, Oct 25, 1946 – 1 · The Chico Enterprise (Chico, California) · Newspapers.com
Closed again, alas. The only “upcoming events” listed on the El Rey’s web site now (here) took place last April. The theater is being offered for sale. Its LoopNet listing gives the price as 1.95 million. It also gives the seating capacity as 750.