The Pacific Theatres in Chatsworth, which closed down during the pandemic and never reopened.
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Google Maps
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Topline:
Pacific Theaters in Chatsworth was the place to be for west side San Fernando Valley teens like me. And, I have to admit, I'm pretty sad that the shuttered theater is turning into a Tesla delivery service center.
The backstory: The theater had been around since 1998, and it was the place where my brother and I had our childhood, blossomed into our teen years and continued to visit during our early college years. Then came the pandemic.
What's next: Now, documents from Los Angeles City Planning Department show that there’s plans to turn this place, the pinnacle of my youth, into a new car delivery and service center. It’s not yet clear when construction will take place.
In a pre-pandemic world, the Pacific Theatres in Chatsworth was a magnet for west San Fernando Valley residents. It’s been around since 1998, and it was the place where my brother and I spent our childhood, blossomed into our teen years and continued to relish into our college years.
Even though this theater is located in the city of Chatsworth, we always called it the Winnetka theater, because of the street it was on. It was also easier to distinguish since just a mile away, the Northridge Fashion Center had their own Pacific Theatres tucked in a corner.
The hulking multiplex sat like a king in the center of the plaza, overseeing a kingdom of surrounding businesses.
To the right of the entrance, coffee shops, frozen yogurt shops, boba stores, and other novelties rotated in and out, competing with the buttery popcorn and ICEEs from the concession stand.
To the left of the theater's entrance, the sounds of bells heralding jackpots or cars zipping around race courses poured out from the vast arcade. Years later it was replaced with Orangetheory Fitness, replacing the arcade sounds with the sweaty wafts of gym goers.
Underneath the Pacific Theatres sign, rows of lights would guide you in. It resembled the set of the '80's sitcom Saved By The Bell — neon zig zags on maroon carpet and geometric shapes on the walls alongside movie posters.
Friday nights were for tweens, teens and young adults catching the latest movies. My brother and his crew watched all the Fast & Furious movies from 2006 to 2017. He and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 opening weekend in 2011.
The inside of Pacific Theatres.
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Courtesy of Pacific Theatres
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Weekends were for families, followed by dinner at Stonefire Grill or Applebee’s. Our dad took my brother to watch two Pokemon movies there. I dragged my father to watch The Twilight Saga: Eclipse with me opening weekend.
Every night, however, was for first dates.
My brother joked that the amount of movies he “stole” by sneaking in double features probably led to its decline.
But that wasn’t really the case. The theater shut down during the pandemic, like everything else, and never re-opened. Instead, Pacific Theatres filed for bankruptcy a year into the pandemic and shut down all its locations, not just Winnetka.
What's next
Documents from the Los Angeles City Planning Department show that there are plans to turn this place, the pinnacle of my youth, into a new car delivery and service center. It’s not yet clear when construction will begin.
But, while it still stands, each time I drive by, memories come back — it's a Friday night, I'm 13-years-old and sitting in the car with my best friend, getting dropped off by my dad at Winnetka.
