Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

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luckysaver
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Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by luckysaver »

There is a Chinese-owned and operated shopping center on the northeast corner of Valley and Garfield in Alhambra (1 E Valley) in a very old red brick building. For the longest time, it was Garfield Theater, a movie house that opened in the 1920's and closed in the early 2000's. It became a Chinese movie house in the 1990's as Alhambra/Monterey Park/Rosemead/San Gabriel became the suburban chinatown (as described in a 1994 book called "The First Suburban Chinatown", by UCLA professor Timothy Fong, about how Chinese/Taiwanese people gradually took over the Monterey Park area and in the late 1980's, turning the community into the first chinatown developed in a suburb outside of Downtown LA). Several years ago, the old theater was remodeled into a shopping center, featuring a food court and boutique shops. Starbucks was the only American business and it was closed earlier this year by order of Starbucks.

Examples of 1980's Chinese supermarket take-overs include the Chinese Vietnamese chain Hoa Bihn Supermarket acquiring the marina Safeway on Atlantic (now 99 Ranch), Shun Fat acquiring the old Raisin-Alpha Beta, also on Atlantic, and on Garfield, the old Market Basket becoming Hong Kong Supermarket.

By the way, the old Mervyns on Main St could have the same fate - split into a chinese shopping center (but if that happens, it would goes against the developmental trend on Main St, where the city is trying to replace many Chinese businesses with American businesses).

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runchadrun
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by runchadrun »

The Garfield Theater was a Chinese movie house at least in the early 1980's, as were most of the businesses with storefronts in the building. There was all-night pharmacy called Sawabini's (which I guess was Japanese by the name) fronting Garfield.

It looks to me based on the satellite views that the theater itself was torn down, replaced by a parking lot. Only the storefronts along Valley and Garfield remain. (It's been a while since I've driven that area.) There was significant damage from the 1987 Whittier Earthquake so I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.
Jeff
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by Jeff »

One of the stores on Valley used to be the lobby of the theatre. I havent been there in years.
luckysaver
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

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I'm very certain that is the original building where the stores are located today. Whenever I drive by, I always picture the old "Garfield Theater" rooftop sign. If you drive by it, you can see that it is an old building.

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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by runchadrun »

luckysaver wrote:I'm very certain that is the original building where the stores are located today. Whenever I drive by, I always picture the old "Garfield Theater" rooftop sign. If you drive by it, you can see that it is an old building.
The storefronts are original. The parking lot in back is where the theater auditorium itself once was.

More info on the theater at http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1975/
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

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So the storefronts makeup just half of the original theater building?

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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by Jeff »

The stores were always there. One of the stores, I forget which one today, was where the original lobby/entrance was.
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by runchadrun »

You can see the original building in this image: http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014406.jpg. The marquee is over the original theater lobby. Based on this view http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1 the right turn lane arrow that's the furthest back points directly at it.
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Re: Garfield Theater-turned shopping center, Alhambra

Post by Jan »

runchadrun wrote:There was all-night pharmacy called Sawabini's (which I guess was Japanese by the name) fronting Garfield.
Definitely not Japanese. He was the next-door neighbor of someone I used to work with, and he was a scary guy.
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