Gardena Cinema is an 800-seat, single-screen movie theater located on Crenshaw Boulevard, Gardena, California in the US. It was built in the 1940s.[1]
History
editThe theater was built in 1946.[2] In 1976, the Kim family, South Korean emigrants, purchased the theater.[1][2]
In 2023, local fans of the theater rallied support for the theater in response to it being listed for sale.[3] The community aims for the theater to be preserved.[2][4] In 2023, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival held a screening at the movie theater.[1] As of May 2023, Judy Kim, who runs the cinema her parents bought, is in the process of filing for nonprofit status to keep the business afloat while her family looks for a buyer.[2][5]
Gardena Cinema is the last single-screen theater in the South Bay.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Locals rally to save historic family-owned theater in Gardena". KTLA. 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ a b c d Toohey, Grace (2023-05-19). "One of L.A.'s last family-owned cinemas is in limbo. Its fans aren't ready to give up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ "Supporters rally to help keep Gardena Cinema from closing; theater now listed on the market". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ "Community supports Gardena Cinema | Gardena Valley News". gardenavalleynews.org. 2023-05-11. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ Chiotakis, Steve (2023-03-06). "One of last family-owned theaters in SoCal is saying goodbye". KCRW. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ "Gardena Cinema up for sale after providing decades of movie-going experiences". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2023-07-13.