Reviving the theater has already been heartily welcomed by Larkspur Chamber of Commerce’s leadership, which recognizes the importance of the theater as a draw for nearby restaurants.
G. Allen Johnson February 12, 2021Updated: February 13, 2021, 10:45 am
CineArts at the Empire, a three-screen movie theater in the West Portal neighborhood of San Francisco, announced it has closed the theater permanently. There is hope that another tenant can be found. Photo: Stephanie Wright Hession
CineArts at the Empire, which first began screening films in the silent movie era, will not reopen, parent company Cinemark Holdings Inc. announced this week.
The closure is a “normal course of business and the result of the careful and ongoing review of our theatre fleet, particularly in light of the impact of COVID-19,” Cinemark said in a statement.
West Portal Movie Theater CineArts at Empire Has Permanently Closed
The historic Empire Cinema in West Portal, now over 95 years old, is in search of a new operator, as Cinemark has decided not to renew its lease and to close its CineArts at Empire theater.
Born the Portal Theatre in 1925 and renamed Empire 11 years later, the theater has been a landmark and an integral part of the West Portal neighborhood for a century. The neighborhood and the city are likely to do everything they can to keep the place from staying vacant for too long, but the current state of the movie theater business will make this a tough proposition.