Eric Johnson Golden State Theatre Monterey

Golden State Theatre is located in Monterey, California. The venue opened on August 6, 1926, and is an Indoor Theater with Orchestra and Balcony seating. The seating capacity of the theater is 1,300 (1600 original). The venue underwent renovations in 2005 but was initially designed by the noted San Francisco architectural firm of Reid & Reid. They described the venue as a “budget” atmospheric movie palace. A Castillian castle inspires the interior features walls of the theatre.

The Golden State Theatre was the largest theater between San Francisco and Los Angeles for a long time. The United Artists Theatres acquired the building in the late 1960s, although it fell on difficult financial times during the 1960s and 1970s, similar to many other movie palaces. A replacement Wurlitzer pipe organ was installed in the Golden State Theatre at the beginning of 2005. This current organ is the “twin” of the organ initially established in the Golden State when it was inaugurated.

Golden State Theatre’s lease was taken over on April 1, 2014, by The Lochtefelds, the Fox Theatre owners in Redwood City. Two of the private investors Lori Lochtefeld and Eric Lochtefeld, made an offer to purchase the theater in March 2014. They had the intent to operate the venue as a performing arts venue.