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Opening Night
The El Ray Theater on 1970 Ocean Avenue premiered with the showing of “The Smiling Lieutenant”, starring Maurice Chevalier. Beautifully constructed, the building held 1,800 seats with tile all throughout the front doors.
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The Gap
Next door, in the building's retail space, customers could find the world's first Gap store; widely known for its groovy and retro decorations. Opened in 1967, the store continued until an eventual closing in 1977 due to businesses slowing down.
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The Voice of the Pentecostal
For roughly the next 39 years, the El Ray Theater became The Voice of the Pentecostal, a Western Christian church, until filing for bankruptcy in 2015 and vacating. It was then sold to developers in 2017 for $1.06 million.
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Abandoned
Following the Church's closing, locals demanded the location to be marked as a landmark. Hoodline wrote, “The landmarking process was steered by community members who worked with the San Francisco Planning Department, Art Deco Society, and Historic Preservation Consultant Christopher VerPlank.” Link text Link text -
What's Coming Next
According to SocketSite.com, “the existing facade of the theater and its commercial spaces would be restored along with the theater space itself and lobby...And upon the theater’s parking lot parcels, which flank the rear of the building, and atop its two commercial wings, a total of 42 condos would be built. . .” The dates for remodeling are currently to be determined.
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