Del Rio Theater Opened In 1947
The Del Rio Theater building, which the City of Riverbank has bought to make a performing arts center, was opened on April 30 of 1947 as a movie house, according to information compiled by the Riverbank Historical Society.
There is not that much information available. That is why both the Del Rio Restaurant owner Miguel Velasco and the city are appealing to the public to come forward with any historical photographs or information they have on the building, said Housing and Economic Director Margaret Silveira who is involved in its reconstruction plans.
Owned by William Peters who paid a record $25,000 for the building permit, the building was designed by
O. A. Deichmann, the foremost theater designer in the West at the time, and built during 1946 of reinforced concrete faced with brick.
The exterior featured a 30-foot rooftop sign, which is still in place today, and a circular foyer 25 feet in diameter.
The theater had a seating capacity of 750, 135 of which were lodge or upper mezzanine seats with prices of 50 cents for general admission and 65 cents for lodge seats.
It contained RCA PG-140 sound equipment, a Super Simplex projector and an 18 by 24 feet Walker Screen.
From the time it opened the theater was also used to conduct eighth grade graduation ceremonies.
For opening night, the President of the Chamber of Commerce Haig Braves and the Riverbank Mayor Raymond E. Perrin were in attendance. The movie shown was The Mighty McGurkkstarring Wallace Beery.
to view full-sized
promotional lobby photo
The theater closed around 1971 due to lack of community interest. By this time, most people owned televisions, so there was no longer a great interest in movies. Near the end of its movie days, Spanish language films were shown about once a week.
The building also had seven stores. They included at one time Les' Pool Hall, Horst Bakery, Landon's Clothes and DeCarl's Shoe Repair Shop facing Atchison Street and Smith Jewelry, Staley Insurance and Seaman Accounting facing Third Street.
In 1987, the theater was remodeled into its present state. From then until March of 1989 it housed Pizza Plus, owned by Ross and Carroll "Woody" Hoskins, who then moved the business into a space in the Delta Bank Building.
After the pizza parlor moved out, Chaser's Bar and Grill moved in. A great deal of controversy surrounded that business because the owners had wanted to open a dance hall. That business closed in 1993.
The building stood closed for a short time. Then the Del Rio Restaurant opened and is still in business there to this day.