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Balboa Theater (San Francisco) facts for kids

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Balboa Theater
Balboa Theatre (1).jpg
Former names New Balboa Theatre,
Balboa Theatre,
The Balboa
Address 3630 Balboa Street,
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Coordinates 37°46′34″N 122°29′53″W / 37.776042°N 122.498063°W / 37.776042; -122.498063
Construction
Opened February 27, 1926
Architect Reid & Reid

The Balboa Theater is a special two-screen movie theater. It is located in the Outer Richmond area of San Francisco, California, USA. This historic theater has been showing movies for a long time. Since 2012, it has been part of the CinemaSF group. People also know it as the New Balboa Theatre or simply The Balboa.

Discover the Balboa Theater

A Look Back: The Theater's Beginnings

The Balboa Theater first opened its doors on February 27, 1926. It was originally called the New Balboa Theatre. A man named Samuel H. Levin started the theater. He owned many movie theaters in San Francisco. His company was called San Francisco Theatres Inc. Other theaters he owned included the Alexandria and the Coronet. The New Balboa Theatre could seat 800 people. It was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a famous explorer. The Levin family managed the theater for many years, until February 2001.

New Owners, New Ideas

From 2001 to 2011, a new owner took over. His name was Gary Meyer. He was also a co-owner of the Landmark Theatres company. Gary Meyer had some great ideas for the Balboa Theater. He made sure tickets were more affordable. This was a nice change compared to bigger movie chains. He also brought in better food options for moviegoers.

The Balboa Today: Part of a Family

Since 2012, the Balboa Theater has been part of the CinemaSF group. This group also owns other local theaters. These include the Vogue Theater and the 4-Star Theater in San Francisco. CinemaSF works with the San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation. This foundation helps local theaters stay open. Like many places, the Balboa Theater faced tough times. This happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has continued to be a beloved spot for movies.

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