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Parkway Theater

Parkway Theater

Oakland, California, USA

First Opened: 23rd September 1925 (99 years ago)

Closed: 22nd March 2009

Building Reopened: 7th April 2021

Atmospheric Style: Egyptian

Architect: Mark T. Jorgensen

Status: Repurposed

Website: www.ivyhillcannabis.com Link opens in new window

Address: 1834 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606 Link opens in new window


Overview

The Parkway in 2022
The Parkway in 2022

The Parkway is a single screen movie theatre which originally opened in September 1925 with the movie I’ll Show You the Town Link opens in new window and short Kid Speed Link opens in new window.

The exterior has a Spanish Renaissance style whereas the interior is designed with an Egyptian theme. Some descriptions afford the interior an East Indian theme in addition to Egyptian, however photos which came to light in 2021 during a planning application lodged with the city suggest a solid Egyptian theme.

Auditorium in 2022, pre-restoration
Auditorium in 2022, pre-restoration

The Parkway was equipped with an organ which had a single chamber located above the proscenium, behind the stylized plasterwork sunburst.

In its later years the Parkway became a suburban art house cinema serving beers and pizza. It was then split into two screens resulting in one screen at main floor level and a second screen in what had been the balcony. The theatre ultimately closed in March 2009.

In March 2019 it was announced that the Parkway would reopen as a cannabis dispensary. The development stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic however was completed in 2022.

As of mid-2022 restoration of the historic theatre is yet to be completed, however current tenants Ivy Hill Cannabis fully intend to restore the theatre and remove the twinning which separated the balcony from the main auditorium.

Further Reading

Online

Photos of the Parkway Theater

Photo credits are noted where data was available at the time of inclusion. Photos displayed here may be subject to copyright; refer to our Copyright Fair Use Statement regarding our use of copyrighted media and contact us Contact Us with any concerns.

Exterior
Parkway Theater: Façade in early 2021
Façade in early 2021
Parkway Theater: Façade in July 2022
Façade in July 2022
Parkway Theater: Exterior in early 2022, courtesy <i>Ivy Hill Cannabis</i>
Exterior in early 2022, courtesy Ivy Hill Cannabis
Parkway Theater: Entrance Closeup
Entrance Closeup
Parkway Theater: Exterior from street
Exterior from street
Parkway Theater: Exterior from street
Exterior from street
Parkway Theater: Exterior and roof sign
Exterior and roof sign
Parkway Theater: Roof Sign
Roof Sign
Interior

The Egyptian-theme interior features an Egyptian solar disc surmounted above the proscenium arch, with a sunburst plasterwork organ grille above it. Stylized scarab beetles appear around the proscenium, with a large winged sphinx on either side facing inward.

Parkway Theater: Proscenium Arch, courtesy <i>Paula Wirth</i>
Proscenium Arch, courtesy Paula Wirth
Parkway Theater: Proscenium Arch Centerpiece, courtesy <i>Oakland North</i>
Proscenium Arch Centerpiece, courtesy Oakland North
Parkway Theater: Auditorium Detail, courtesy <i>The Parkway Theater</i>
Auditorium Detail, courtesy The Parkway Theater
Parkway Theater: https://aca-prod.accela.com/OAKLAND/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Planning&TabName=Planning&capID1=20PLN&capID2=00000&capID3=00378&agencyCode=OAKLAND
House Right Exit, courtesy The Parkway Theater
Parkway Theater: Auditorium Detail, courtesy <i>The Parkway Theater</i>
Auditorium Detail, courtesy The Parkway Theater
Parkway Theater: Proscenium Sunburst Closeup, courtesy <i>The Parkway Theater</i>
Proscenium Sunburst Closeup, courtesy The Parkway Theater
Parkway Theater: Area under balcony
Area under balcony
Parkway Theater: Auditorium from left
Auditorium from left
Parkway Theater: Auditorium from left
Auditorium from left
Parkway Theater: Auditorium from right
Auditorium from right
Parkway Theater: House Right Exit
House Right Exit
Parkway Theater: Proscenium in July 2022
Proscenium in July 2022


Photographs copyright © 2002-2024 Mike Hume / Historic Theatre Photos unless otherwise noted.

Text copyright © 2017-2024 Mike Hume / Historic Theatre Photos.

For photograph licensing and/or re-use contact me here Contact Us.





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