Laemmle movie theater in downtown L.A. shutting down

In another sign of downtown L.A.'s struggles during the economic downtown, officials have announced that the Laemmle Grande 4-Plex movie theater will shut down later this month.

For two decades, the Laemmle has been showing mostly art-house fare under a hotel on Figueroa Street. At times, it was the largest movie theater downtown.

The closure comes as a new 14-screen Regal cinema is set to open next to Staples Center.

The Regal cinema has met with much anticipation after the opening of the L.A. Live entertainment complex. L.A. Live describes the cinema as "the West coast flagship for Regal Cinemas ... including 140,000 square feet of state-of-the-art cinema with 14 screens and 3,800 seats including an 800-seat house suitable for the industry’s most glamorous movie premieres."

More on the closure of the Laemmle from blogdowntown:

Laemmle Director of Operations Kevin Gallagher confirmed that the staff was informed of the announcement on August 1. While the company discussed the option of focusing on art films or commercial crossover indie films, it felt that the specialized market needed more than locals to fill the house. "It's always been difficult to bring people downtown and even though the image of the city [is] changing, we felt it was best to close the doors," said Gallagher.

-- Shelby Grad

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Comments

[jim winstead]

You buried the lead, which is that a brand-new flagship theater in a far more attractive location in downtown Los Angeles is about to open. The Laemmle Grande has not shown mostly art-house fare for a long time, as the quote from blogdowntown made clear.

What evidence is there that this has anything to do with the economic downturn, or "downtown L.A.'s struggles"? It seems that it really has more to do with the continuing economic growth of downtown L.A. in the form of a brand-new flagship theater.

[Scott L. Spencer]

That has got to be the worst written article I've ever seen in my life.
Don't you people even proofread anymore?

"In another sign of the downtown L.A.'s struggles during the economic downtown," should have been written like this:

"In another sign of downtown L.A.'s struggles during the economic downturn,"

Another screw up was in the sentence, "At times, it was a biggest movie theater in downtown."

That should have been "it was THE biggest movie theater in downtown L.A."

Come on, people. You're supposed to be professionals, not High school Newspaper Journalists!

[eric]

LA Weekly names it a "best place" to go to the movies without the crowds (I agree), and now this - kiss of death? What restaurants and clubs listed will close soon I wonder?

[Mitch]

This is terrible. I love this theater. Hopefully their other locations stay open.

[Every LA resident who doesn't live downtown and isn't familiar with parking outside of LA live area.]

Maybe if this place has an easy place to park within 4 square blocks, and it was advertised as such, they'd have better luck bringing people in. Maybe a sandwich board outside directing people? A website with info? A validation deal that is advertised anywhere?

Just a thought.

Signed,
Every LA resident who doesn't live downtown and isn't familiar with parking outside of LA live area.

[Jim Q. Citizen]

I didn't even know there was a Laemmle downtown! Although I own a car, I've been taking the bus to the Laemmle Santa Monica (for the art films) for the last ten years.

It's sad their closing at this time just when downtown is really started to sparkle with positive activity.