Los Angeles Theatres: Sunkist Theatre

445 N. Garey Ave. Pomona, CA 91767 | map |

Opened: November 4, 1931 as part of the short-lived Hughes-Franklin Circuit. It was mid-block on the west side of the street between Center St. and Holt Ave. That's 5 1/2 blocks north of the Fox. The opening day photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The initial film was "Mother's Millions" with May Robson.

In May of 1931 local investors operating under the name Uptown Theatre Co. had started work on what had been the site of a car dealership. The theatre, a $60,000 project, was to be operated by Hughes-Franklin on a 20 year lease. Hughes had earlier in 1931 acquired the Belvedere Theatre.

Architect: S. Charles Lee

Seating: 874, all on one level.

The local Progress-Bulletin ran a six page special section about the theatre's opening. David Allen's 2016 article "Secret in Pomona: Forgotten Sunkist Theatre was owned by Howard Hughes" was done for the successor paper, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for spotting the article. In his fine history of the building, Allen notes:

"Designed in the Monterey style, the exterior was made of whitewashed stone tile, with a roof of handmade Spanish tile. The lobby was done in reds and browns, with a style described as homey rather than ornate. One feature was a water fountain 'of Spanish and mosaic tile and glass' that would turn on automatically when someone leaned over it. The auditorium seated 874 with seats upholstered in burnt orange and black. Six chandeliers 'of Spanish design' hung from the ceiling, which had 'massive beams' divided by panels 'with several bright Spanish colors subdued by splattered old gold softening. Coat-of-arms designs form a frieze along each beam,' the Prog wrote. There was no balcony, but restrooms, decorated in colored tile, were provided on a mezzanine level."

When the Hughes-Franklin circuit decided to liquidate, the Sunkist was picked up by Fox in April 1932 and then advertised as the Fox Sunkist. In city directories through 1940 it's the Fox Sunkist. In the 1948 directory it was just the Sunkist. By 1953 Fox West Coast was gone and the theatre became a Spanish language house.

Closing: It ran until 1955 or 1956 before being converted to retail as the Garey Arcade in 1957. Ken McIntyre found an item in the March 10, 1957 issue of the L.A. Times:

"Transformation of the old Sunkist Theater into an arcade of small specialty shops and professional offices is now under way. Known as the Garey Arcade, the new building will be finished in terrazzo and white marble with plantings of palms and Hawaiian ferns in front of the concrete and brick building."

The Sunkist was the first of Pomona's major theatres to close. It wasn't helped by being six blocks away from the cluster of the State, United Artists and Fox.

Status: The building survived for years as retail space. In 2022 it was vacant.

Interior views:

Inside the entrance doors. It's a 1935 Frasher's photo in the Pomona Public Library collection.

A pottery display. It's a 1935 Frasher photo in the Pomona Public Library collection.

Displays for "West of the Pecos" near the entrances to the auditorium. It's a 1935 Frasher photo in the Pomona Public Library collection.

A view from the stairs. The restrooms were upstairs. It's a 1935 Frasher photo in the Pomona Public Library collection.

An auditorium view from the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. It's a photo taken by W.P. Woodcock that was once in the collection of decorator Tony Heinsbergen.

The repurposed building: