New Potrero and Clay Theaters

New Potrero Theater c1940.
The Potrero Theatre came into existance in c1933, and was located at 312 Conneticut Street, in the Potrero District. The original movie house there was the Alta Theatre, which opened c1916 and probably went out of business or changed its name about 1932-33. There apparently was never a Potrero Theatre, just a New Potrero Theatre.
A woman who currently owns a shop a door or two from the site and who attended many movies there, said it was known as the "flea house" by the time it closed in the `40s.

The former New Potrero Theater 2001.
This is what the the building looks like today. Although it has been close to 60 years since it was a movie house, it is easy to see that it is the same building in the exact same setting. Surprisingly little has changed.

The Clay Theater c1930.
The Clay Theater opened in the 1930s at 2261 Fillmore Street, where it still is today. While the appearance of the theater has certainly changed, the area has probably changed even more.

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The Clay Theater in 1964.
At the time this photo was taken, The Clay was still showing feature films.
A large redevelopment project in the Fillmore changed the district dramatically, but fortunately spared the theater.

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The Clay in 2000.
Taken in July of 2000 and looking newly painted, the Clay Theater is still in operation but shows mostly art films.
This section of Fillmore Street is a little more upscale than the rest of it. With San Francisco housing prices among the highest in the nation,
it's only a matter of time before the whole city will be considered upscale.

If you have information or photos pertaining to the above, or any other San Francisco movie theaters, that you are willing to share, I would like to hear from you.

Parkside Theater

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