The Bay Area was home to dozens of small movie houses in the 1930s and 1940s. Later in the century, with the growth of drive-ins, multiplexes and video rentals, most of those theaters were torn down.

The Cerrito Theater, located on San Pablo Avenue near the corner of Central Avenue in El Cerrito, was a local movie house that residents thought was lost forever.

Built in the art deco style and decorated with murals and etched glass, the theater operated from 1937 into the 1960s.

In 2001 local residents were surprised to find that the murals, glass and decor of the theater had been preserved during the thirty years the building had been used as a furniture warehouse. A community group quickly formed to save the theater.

Click on one of the links below to explore the past, present and possible future of the Cerrito Theater.