Grand Theatre

Address: 1142 23rd Street, Richmond CA 94804

Date Opened: February 14, 1942

Date Closed: July 31, 1955

Circuit/Owners: Robert L. Lippert, Fox West Coast

Number of Seats: 681

Current Status: Tire Shop & Body Shop

The Grand Theatre in 1945 while under ownership of Fox West Coast Theatres. Photo from the Jack Tillmany Collection, used with permission.

The Grand's concession stand in 1945. Photo from the Jack Tillmany Collection, used with permission.

The Grand Theatre opened at 23rd Street and Rheem Avenue in Richmond on February 14, 1942. The Grand was the first theater in the Robert L. Lippert chain and the first of five theaters that Lippert would open in the greater Richmond area during the following year and a half to serve Richmond's rapidly increasing population. Lippert's other theaters would be the Studio and Times in downtown Richmond, the "V" (formerly Point) in Point Richmond and the Pablo in San Pablo. An article in the Richmond Independent stated that the Grand cost $80,000 to construct  and equip and that it was built in an amazing 97 days. Robert Lippert himself was the first manager as well as the owner of the Grand.

Ads from the Oakland Tribune (top) and Richmond Independent (bottom)  on Friday February 13, 1942 announced the next day grand opening of Richmond's Grand Theatre.

You probably would have seen these one sheet movie posters in the poster cases in front of the Grand Theatre on opening day. You can't do much better than booking "Citizen Kane" as your opening attraction although I wonder if it was appreciated back then as much as it is today. "Passage From Hong Kong", a "B" film from Warner Brothers held down the second feature spot on the bill.

Newspaper ads from the Richmond Independent showing examples of double feature second run programming during the war years at the Grand. As illustrated in the ad at the right Lippert would occasionally book the same program at both the Grand and Lippert owned Times at the same time even though the two theaters were fairly close together on 23rd Street. 

Article from Richmond Independent in July 1944 regarding sale of the Grand Theatre to Fox West Coast Theaters, remodeling in progress and a change from a second run to a first run policy.

Ad from Richmond Independent Saturday, August 12, 1944. The Grand reopened on Sunday, August 13, 1944 as a Fox West Coast theater which it would remain for the rest of it's movie showing days.

Cecil B. DeMille's "The Story of Dr. Wassell" with Gary Cooper and the wartime drama "Ladies of Washington"was the re-opening double feature attraction at the remodeled Grand Theatre.

The Grand sometimes shared popular first run product with the downtown Costa at the same time and at other times had programs moved over to the Grand for an extra week after their first week or two's successful run at the Costa. The two double feature programs advertised above played both theaters the same weeks in 1950 (left) and 1951.

The Grand featured nine cent kids matinees during school vacations and holidays in the early 1950's. Those matinees gave me my first exposure to "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Yearling" among other classic films as well as such fun antiques as Hoot Gibson and Ken Maynard westerns, Laurel & Hardy comedies and feature versions of Flash Gordon serials. Ads above from 1951 and 1952.

Like the rest of Richmond's second run movie theaters the Grand suffered from the city's depressed post-war economy and increased popularity of television, particularly in the years after 1950. It managed to hang on for three years after it's sister Fox West Coast second run house the State closed it's doors it 1952 but it was destined to be the next theater casualty in the summer of 1955. Apparently knowing that it's days were numbered the Grand never even installed a CinemaScope screen but did get CinemaScope lenses and played a few 'Scope films. looking a bit ridiculous on their old, rather small academy ratio screen. I think the last movie I saw at the Grand was "Chief Crazy Horse" (in glorious Mini-Scope!) in early 1955.

By the spring of 1954 the Grand was only open on Fridays through Sundays with the entire family admitted for only one dollar on Fridays. "Buck Night", just like at the drive-in! A pretty cool deal for kids at Saturday matinees too with the regular program, an extra feature, cartoons and serial! 

End of the line for the Grand came on the Friday to Sunday weekend of July 29 to 31, 1955. Two at the time recent releases "Five Against the House" and "The Purple Mask" made up the final program. A "Bomba the Jungle Boy" feature from 1952 was added to the Saturday matinee. 

Growing up in the 1950's the Grand never seemed all that "grand" to me, a bit shabby when compared to the downtown Fox and United Artists in fact, but just like all of the other theaters in Richmond (and everywhere else in those pre-multiplex days!) it had it's own character and I liked going to movies there. What was on the screen was always much more important than interior grandeur anyway! I missed Grand after it closed down.

When I moved from Richmond in 1958 the Grand was still closed and vacant. A friend from Richmond told me much later that the theater equipment was removed not long afterwards and the structure was used as a skating rink for a while although I can't verify that. According to another knowledgeable blogger Roxy Miraville various automobile service businesses including a detailing shop, a paint shop, a wheel alignment shop and a transmission shop have occupied the building since at least the 1970's. That trend continues in 2016 with Amigo Tires (on the 23rd Street main entrance side) and LA-Tech Body Shop (on the Rheem Street front of auditorium side) currently occupying the structure. 

In 2016 the Grand's basic structure still stands with Amigo Tires now occupying what was the front entrance, box office and lobby of the theater on the 23rd Street side of the building.

This is the Rheem Avenue side of the Grand. The entrance to LA-Tech is where the front of the auditorium was. As I recall the stage and screen area protruded from this end of the structure. 2013 photos by John Rice.

2010 interior view of Rheem Avenue portion of structure now occupied by LA-Tech showing the rear of the former theatre auditorium. Photo courtesy of Roxy Miravalle. There's a link to a complete set of interior and exterior photos in the comment section below. Thanks Roxy! 

Rear auditorium wall of former theatre auditorium showing old projection room portholes. Photo courtesy of Roxy Miravalle.

Front of former theatre auditorium facing Rheem Avenue shows where screen and stage once stood. Photo courtesy of Roxy Miravalle.