Northridge Cinemas

19401 Parthenia Street,
Northridge, CA 91324

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres, Robert L. Lippert Theatres Inc.

Previous Names: Northridge Center 1-4

Nearby Theaters

The Northridge Center 1-4 was opened by Robert L. Lippert Theatres on February 18, 1972. In 1982 it was taken over by Pacific Theatre. On May 20 1984 it was expanded to six screens with a total seating capacity of 1,921. It recieved some damage in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and following renovations it reopened on November 18, 1994 when it had been expanded to ten screens, with theater sizes ranging from 100 to 300 seats apiece. Located in a strip mall that included doctors' offices and a pet store, this venue had an ideal location in between a 1950’s-style diner next door and a McDonald’s just down the block. Patrons could easily enjoy dinner and a movie right there on Parthenia Street.

However, with the opening of Pacific’s Stadium 21 Theatre in nearby Chatsworth and Fashion Center 10 inside the mall two blocks away all occurring within a year, this venue had little choice but to begin showing second-run films by the late-1990’s. That only delayed an inevitable demise: it was shut down by fall 2004. In 2006, construction has taken place at the site, which proved to be demolition.

Contributed by Lavar Burkhart

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

Lavarus
Lavarus on January 18, 2007 at 5:08 pm

This venue was associated with the Pacific Theaters chain up until the date of its closure.

Lavarus
Lavarus on January 19, 2007 at 5:46 pm

Address Correction: 19401 Parthenia St.

Knatcal
Knatcal on April 26, 2007 at 5:53 pm

Northridge Cinemas expanded and remodeled after it was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Before the earthquake, the restrooms were located upstairs. After the earthquake, the theater was reconfigured with the restrooms being located downstairs and the addition of several smaller auditoriums. In the early 1980s a dance club – Ozone – was located in the same complex. Slowly all the tenants left, with a sushi restaurant being the last to only recently close up shop. In addition to being a second run theater, in its last few years the Northridge Cinemas began to screen Bollywood films. I frequented this theater while I attended nearby California State University, Northridge in the late 1980s and early 1990s and even continued to see films here until it closed.

Lavarus
Lavarus on September 18, 2007 at 7:31 pm

Just passed by the site of this old venue on 9/15/2007 to find the entire strip-mall building has been leveled and cleared away. All that remains is the foundation, where the uneven ground which served as grading for each individual theater could still be seen.

Lavarus
Lavarus on June 17, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Status for this theater should be updated to: DEMOLISHED.

William
William on July 23, 2008 at 4:23 pm

When Pacific Theatres operated this theatre as a 6 plex the seating capacities were 237, 252, 252, 500, 670, 237.

seanjung
seanjung on March 28, 2010 at 9:13 am

Chuck1231: The photos you show are not this old Northridge Cinema on Parthenia, but rather, Fashion Center 10 on 9400 Shirley Ave, Northridge, California.

culcune
culcune on February 14, 2016 at 3:24 am

Loved this theater in the 80’s. During high school (graduated ‘87), we used to go here often on Friday’s due to early out every Friday. One day I did not go with the group, and my friends and one other guy were the only people in the theater…that one guy was Richard Pryor, the comedian, who lived up Parthenia in those older homes. He even asked my friends what they thought of the movie, LOL.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 20, 2020 at 10:23 pm

The Pacific Northridge Center opened on February 18th, 1972 by Lippert Theatres and taken over by Pacific Theatres. It was taken over by Pacific Theatres in 1982, who on May 23rd, 1984 expanded it to 6 screens and on November 18th, 1994 expanded it again to 10 screens. Closed 2004. Grand opening ads posted.

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