The Harding Theatre

616 Divisadero St. | map |

Opened: May 8, 1926 with Colleen Moore starring in the first movie version of the musical "Irene."  It was built for theatre operator Samuel H. Levin. The theatre is on the east side of the street between Grove and Hayes. In December 2017, after a long period of neglect, the building reopened as  Emporium SF, a combination bar, arcade and performance venue. See the Emporium Facebook page.  The photo is a 2019 Google Maps view.

 

 A newspaper item appearing on the theatre's opening day. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating it.

 

Architects: Reid Brothers

 

A section view from the original plans that appeared in a spiral bound book produced by Save the Harding attorney Arthur Levy. Head to the bottom of the page for eighteen additional images from the book that were scanned by Gary Parks. 

Seating: 1,250 -- with a balcony

After closing as a film house, the theatre got a brief reprieve as a legit venue. The building was used for live shows by the Lamplighters Music Theatre starting July 15, 1961 (opening with a production of "The Mikado") and running until May 1968. They specialized in productions of shows by Gilbert & Sullivan. See the article about the group on Wikipedia. Jack Tillmany comments: "They abandoned the Harding because of the lack of nearby parking and the ever-increasing neighborhood crime issues which threatened members of their audience, especially after the performances." The May 20, 1968 issue of the Chronicle ran a review of their farewell performance, a melange of their favorite numbers from past productions.

From then until 1970 it was running adult films. The building then had a short career as a concert venue beginning perhaps in February 1971. Jack Tillmany found an ad for a Curtis Mayfield concert that month with the venue being advertised as the New Harding Theatre. The Grateful Dead performed at the Harding in November 1971. From the mid 70s until 2004 it was a church.

Status: The building was purchased by developer Michael Klestoff in 2004 for $1.6 million. At one point it was slated for demolition and became the subject of a long preservation battle. The theatre got rehabbed to be Emporium SF, a video arcade and performance space. The developer put up an adjacent condo project.

A site plan for the project. The pink area is the new 7 story condo building. The plan appeared with a November 2015 article on Socketsite.


The ticket lobby:

The newly painted ceiling. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017. 

Gary comments: "Other than the restoration of the original finishes on the central coffered part of the auditorium ceiling, which is complete, the interior and exterior are done in basic paint and trim--no intricate decorative painting. Replicas of the original doors are being made. Danny would love to have us replicate the etched patterns--a couple panels survive--but it's beyond the budget now. I discussed several more decorative ideas with him, which he may choose to do once the stress of getting the place open is passed."

The main lobby:

The Harding's lobby in 1942. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection on the San Francisco Public Library website.

A lobby view of the long-neglected theatre. The photo is from a Friends of 1800 page about the theatre.

Gary Parks comments: "Back in 2002, I was part of a salvage job here. The church wanted to be rid of all the 1930s light fixtures. You can see the small lights mounted in the lobby ceiling. That's where there used to be silvery bowl-shaped chandeliers, with cast glass leaves sprouting up in the centers." 

The house right stairs to the balcony. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017

 A detail of a 30s vintage railing. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017

Gary comments: "Mark Santa Maria and I restoring two 1930s ceiling fixtures for their original locations over the stairs. New replica glass is being fabricated, with me doing a memory-based period-appropriate Deco design on it (original glass was either missing or sloppy replacements) and my etching partner Mike Nelson is blasting the panels. 

"The fixtures were salvaged by Mark and me in 2002, when the church wanted to get rid of all fixtures in the place, and Mark and I took them all (15!)--these were the only two Mark still had. So--nice to know they will return to their home.  They'll go really nice with the surviving 1930s staircase railing which is much like the railings at the Del Mar, Santa Cruz."
 

A view of the lobby east wall, where the snackbar was. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

Gary comments: "I would like to thank Emporium San Francisco owner, Danny Marks, for giving me free reign to photograph the interior progress, after we met to discuss the restoration of two original light fixtures to the lobby ceiling. Here, we see a long-hidden portion of the original 1920s decorative wall of the lobby, hidden by a mirror since the Moderne makeover c. 1940."

A closer look at the very damaged lobby wall section with a Spanish style design. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017. Gary comments: "This will be covered over, but not damaged. Danny, the owner, laughed when I said it was something for archaeologists of the future. "

A detail of that area. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017. Gary comments: "This particular feature will be left in situ, but covered over without harming it. At this time, there isn't the budget to do anything more with it." 

An October 2017 Gary Parks photo on the BAHT Facebook page. He comments: "One of the two 1930s ceiling fixtures which returned--restored--to their original homes over the two lobby staircases, one week ago, after having been out of the theatre since 2002. Metalwork powder-coated to original finish, all new electrical hardware with LED bulbs, new etched glass with a new, but period-appropriate pattern designed by Yours Truly (as the one fragment of original decorative glass disappeared while in storage in the last 15+ years). 

"Thanks to my fellow craftsmen, Mark Santa Maria, and Mike Nelson, for helping me return these two fixtures to their original home, and to Danny Marks, of the Emporium San Francisco, for welcoming them back into his venue. " See Gary's other BAHT post for three additional views of one of the fixtures.


Auditorium views:

A 1942 view of the theatre's proscenium (and asbestos). This photo is from the Jack Tillmany collection via the San Francisco Public Library. Gary Parks comments: "As originally designed, the interior of the Harding was much nicer--but the ornate columns on the proscenium and the columned false balcony niches in the sidewall bays were eliminated in the late 30s remodeling. I've seen the original blueprints."

A 1942 look at the proscenium from the Jack Tillmany collection on the San Francisco Public Library website.  

 The rear of the auditorium in 1942. It's a photo in the San Francisco Public Library collection.

Jack Tillmany comments: " I saw 'The Bat Whispers' there on a Halloween Midnight Show in October 1949. The entrance terrazzo was wet and slippery. But it was a great old movie. I saw 'Storm Warning' there in March 1951. Ronald Reagan played the District Attorney in a Southern town fighting the KKK. Doris Day was Klansman Steve Cochran's pregnant wife, and Ginger Rogers played her sister. The audience seemed to enjoy it. 

"I saw 'Sangaree' there in 2-projector 3-Dimension in August 1953; by July 1954 they had converted to CinemaScope. The screen was about 2:1, and there was no stereo, so we weren't impressed and told the manager so. Unkind words were exchanged on both sides. We vowed never to return.   

"Judging that it was on shaky ground, because of the programming, and about to leave SF and go into military service, I bid the Harding a final farewell in February 1959 and knocked off a triple bill of 'The Snorkel' (which was pretty good), 'The Screaming Skull' and 'The Brain Eaters,' both of which were just as awful as they sound. Bye!"

A proscenium look at the 1,250 seat house dressed up for its life as a church. The photo is from the Friends of 1800 "Save The Harding Theater!" page. 

A rear of the house view from Friends of 1800.  

Looking across the balcony. It's a Friends of 1800 photo. 

An organ grille detail from the Friends of 1800 page. 

With developer Michael Klestoff losing hope that he could demolish the theatre, two saviors from Chicago came up with a lease proposal to turn it into a barcade and theatre. Danny and Doug Marks have done similar venues in Chicago and are rescuing the Harding. Nuala Sawyer had the May 2015 story on Hoodline. Thanks to Patrick Carroll for spotting it.  This auditorium view is a 2010 SF Citizen photo.

A wide angle look to the rear of the house from an October 2015 SFist story "Second Act Approaches..." about the plans to turn the long vacant building into a bar/arcade/performance space. Thanks to William David French, Jr. for spotting the story.

The cleaned up auditorium. It's a photo from an April 2017 Hoodline article on the project: "Emporium SF Opening Pushed Back as Restoration on Harding Theatre Continues." Thanks to Rob Doughty for spotting the story.

A look to the rear from the April 2017 Hoodline article.  

A view from the balcony. Photo: Gary Parks - September - 2017. He comments: "Apologies for the poor quality of the proscenium view, but it gives context for the detailed shots of the ceiling, which was carefully cleaned, and touched up where needed, preserving the decorative paint scheme which has lasted at least since 1940."

Gary comments about the stage: "I was on the stage with Danny, the owner. It's pretty bare back there. Organ chambers are still intact, and will be left alone. Fire curtain is still there. We didn't bring it down, as I was not wanting to get covered with dust before heading to my next appointment that day. No dimmerboard seen. No drops or other curtains in the fly. Grid still there."

A ceiling detail. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

Another ceiling detail. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

In the balcony house left. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

Gary comments: "Many wall surfaces are a plain dark gray, but there's a lot of antique gold and ochre accenting, and all ornamental plaster has been restored. Extra money was spent on cleaning and carefully touching up the original paintwork on the central coffered section of the ceiling, and it looks first-rate."

A balcony ceiling fixture location. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

 Gary comments: "I actually have the hanging fixture which was suspended from the plaster rosette pictured here (unrestored), and offered it, but Danny declined, as I do not have the mate to it that was on the other side of the projection booth (it was missing when we acquired all the light fixtures from the church in 2002, saving them from all being dumped), and -- a fixture that can throw off a lot of light is needed in this corner, and the original fixture only sends light upward, with a metal bowl concealing the lightbulbs completely from below. This plaster ceiling rosette was utilized many times by the Reids in other theatres: Grand Lake, Fairfax--Oakland, Golden State, Monterey, and others."

A detail of the rosette. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

A balcony side wall view. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017

Gary comments: "Here, up in the balcony, in the final Gothic bays on the sidewalls, were discovered original stenciled surfaces, covered over with the advent of Talkies. The hundreds of little divots in the surface were made to give the adhesive for the acoustical material something to better cling to. These original decorative surfaces are being preserved as-is.

"The gray concrete band around the edge of the stenciled surface is where there was once a raised plaster border, likely with more stenciling in another pattern. This was chiseled off when the Talkie-era acoustical surface was applied. Study of Reid Bros. blueprints in my collection, including those of the Avenue, and others, show that these areas of bare concrete with stenciling applied, surrounded by plaster borders, were a common feature with this architectural firm." 

A detail of the design, stenciled on raw concrete. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017. Gary adds: "This is being left exposed, and looks pretty cool."   

A balcony view of the venue ready to open as a bar/arcade. It's a photo that appeared on the Emporium Facebook page in November 2017.

A view from the stage. It's a Patricia Chang photo appearing with "Enter Emporium, an Arcade Bar and Venue in a long-vacant Diviseradero Theatre," a December 2017 Eater SF article by Caleb Pershan.  

A look down from the terraced balcony. Photo: Patricia Chang -  Eater SF - December 2017

The upper balcony. Photo: Patricia Chang -  Eater SF - December 2017

 

The lower section of the balcony. Photo: Patricia Chang -  Eater SF - December 2017

 

A wide angle view from the booth. Photo: Patricia Chang -  Eater SF - December 2017

More exterior views:

A 1941 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. The photo makes an appearance in Jack's terrific Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres Of San Francisco." There's a preview on Google Books.

This 1944 photo from Jack Tillmany is in the collection of the San Francisco Public Library. 

 

 

A c.1947 photo taken by Tom Gray. Thanks to Marcus for sharing this image from his collection.  

A 1961 look at the vacant theatre, from Jack Tillmany in the San Francisco Public Library collection. 

 

A 1964 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. A smaller version is on the San Francisco Public Library website. 

 

 

"Theatre Goods Sale." The Gilbert & Sullivan group "The Lamplighters" had given their last performance in May 1968. This photo by Tom Gray is from the Jack Tillmany collection. 

A c.1969 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection taken in the post-legit house phase. He comments: "Like just about all of them, it eventually sank to "Adult Films" (with a repainted black & white front), and closed up shop sometime around 1970."  

 
 

A June 1980 photo by Greg Gaar appearing on the Open San Francisco History site. Thanks to Art Siegel for spotting it in the collection. The caption: "View east across Divisadero towards Church of God and Christ (former Harding Theatre, later Emporium bar and performance space) parishioners leading Young Adult Fellowship. The V.I.S. Disco and Lounge at left, now The Independent."

 

 

 

 

A 1990s photo taken by Gary Parks. He comments: "Today, an exact replica of this pavement gleams in the same spot...but at an ADA-compliant slope! Some stories have happy endings! One thing was eliminated, though--the red concrete patch where the box office was. the terrazzo pattern just sweeps right through that spot, which is fine."

A shot from the Friends of 1800 "Save The Harding Theater!" page. 

A 2015 view by Mike Gaworecki / Hoodline. 

Another 2015 view of the theatre, which the owner wanted to demolish for condos, but neighborhood activists want preserved. Thanks to Patrick Carroll for spotting the photo. It's one of may views of the street in a "Then and Now: Divisadero Edition" article on Hoodline.  And there was a followup story from SF Eater in May 2015.  

Gary Parks commented in 2015: "About 12 years ago, I was peripherally involved in the fight to save the Harding from demolition, and got to see copies of the original Reid Bros. blueprints. The facade was loaded with far more cast ornament, originally. The interior, prior to a late 30s light-handed redecoration, also had far more ornament. There were large, cove-lit niches in the sidewall bays which were flanked by twisted-shaft Corinthian columns, and the proscenium arch had a lot of ornament as well. What was also interesting is that, on the drawings, the theatre had no fly tower. The stage was there, but no fly--like the stages of the Metro and Coliseum. At the relative last minute, the decision had been made to add a fly to this theatre."

Looking north at the area adjacent to the theatre that is now the site of a 7 story residential building.  The only demo was a one story mechanical room. The photo was with a November 2015 Socketsite article about the revised project. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the article.

A shot of the new condo building from an April 2017 Hoodline article on the project. 

The facade during construction. Photo: David Boysel - June 2017

A look up. Taupe! Photo: David Boysel - June 2017 

New terrazzo. Photo: David Boysel - June 2017 

Photo: David Boysel - June 2017 

Photo: David Boysel - June 2017 

 David comments: "I was surprised that they actually are putting in terrazzo in front of the Harding, and in the process have disguised the area where the old ticket booth was, formerly an ugly cement patch. Aside from that patch I don't recall anything really wrong with the original terrazzo - I had walked across it hundreds of times so I think I would remember any major problems. Anyway it's looking pretty good now.

I have photos somewhere of the painted decorations once on the vestibule ceiling, it was painted gold with an all-over stencil pattern and I thought simple but pretty effective. It was actually in good condition but had to be primed over so that the building looked more demolition worthy with nothing to save when the demolition permits were being sought a few years ago. Now this area is a hotbed of trendy restaurants and venues and the few actually useful stores and shops are slowly being priced out.

"The scaffolding came down to reveal ... taupe ! Boring as hell and every building everywhere is sporting the greige grunge look now, it's all the rage I guess and not just not authentic but dull as hell. Yawn! Anyway even if you believe that demolition for pricy condos was the better idea for this pile, then instead a company called "Emporium " is dumping the money into it to run a video arcade and venue. Video arcades make that much money? I'm clearly in the wrong business.

"I'll be curious to see the renovation inside but I'm confident that I'm not their target customer. There was a drawing posted of a new marquee but no evidence of that installation yet, it certainly needs something out there. I'd be very surprised if they bothered with a vertical but then again I was surprised that they bothered with the terrazzo ... so you never know." 

Thanks to David Boysel for the photos -- and Gary Meyer for sending them along.

The finished terrazzo. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017 

Another terrazzo view. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017. He comments: "A look at the masterfully recreated terrazzo (now at an ADA compliant slope)." Jack Tillmany adds that with the slope it'll be easy to hose it down in the mornings.

A facade detail. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017

A closer look at the ornament within the arches. Photo: Gary Parks - September 2017

 

 

A wider view taken by Gary Parks in September 2017.  Danny Marks, the owner, was at the time deciding on options for the readerboards and ornamental lighting on the borders.  

 

The entrance ready for the reopening. It's a Patricia Chang photo appearing with "Enter Emporium, an Arcade Bar and Venue in a long-vacant Diviseradero Theatre," a December 2017 Eater SF article by Caleb Pershan. 

 

 

Images from the original plans that appeared in a "Save the Harding" book: 

 

 

A title block from the first page of the set. Thanks to Gary Parks for scanning these.

 

 

The main floor plan. Gary comments: 

"I suspect these photocopies were made from old microfilm, but they show more information that I remembered. These are fold-out pages from a spiral bound book produced by Save the Harding attorney Arthur Levy, back when the building was threatened by demolition. I acted in an advisory capacity to the effort to save the theatre. A report I wrote on the significance of the theatre, as well as the work of the Reid Bros., was included in the book."

 

 

A combination main floor plan and section view. 

 

 

A plan at balcony and booth levels. 

 

 

A half balcony riser plan with a nice section view of the front of the balcony. 

 

 

On the left it's a balcony soffit plan. Gary comments: "Note, in the lower left corner, the little detail drawing of the cove lit dome, which exists as part of the balcony soffit detailing in each rear corner. I was hoping it would be relit when the Emporium SF venue went in there, but I don’t think this was done."

 

On the right the top is a reflected ceiling plan showing the main auditorium ceiling. The bottom half is an attic plan.

 

 

 

The longitudinal section drawing. Gary comments: "No fly tower is indicated here, though one was ultimately built as part of the building from the beginning."

 

 

A closer look at the stage end of the section drawing. Gary comments: "Note the ornamental sidewall niches, which were lit. The conduits running to these were reused when the niches were filled-in, and power run to vertical, fluted metal and etched glass Moderne style light fixtures that were placed in those locations during the late thirties redecoration."

 

 

Another section drawing through the area near the proscenium, here with a better view of one of the decorative niches. 

 

 

 

A section view looking toward the stage. Gary comments: "Here we can see the twisted columns that were originally paired on either side of the proscenium, as well as sculpted borders which edges both the outer and inner rims of its arch. This plasterwork was a casualty of the thirties redecoration, though the organ grilles were left completely alone, getting simply a fresh coat of gold paint."

 

 

A section view through the balcony. 

 

A front wall elevation of the booth and part of the floorplan.

 

 

On the left we have a look at the lobby stairs. On the right it's a half elevation of the standee area. Gary comments: 

 

"In the center it's a closeup of the lobby wall containing the standee windows. Windows similar to these still survive at the Reids' Golden State Theatre in Monterey, but were covered over at the Harding. On the far right, past the door in the center of the drawing, part of another ornamental arch can be seen. This row of arches—being in line with the entrance doors of the theatre—did not have glass, and therefore were not standee windows. 

 

"During work on the theatre in its conversion to the Emporium SF, the backs of these arches were uncovered, where they were found to be filled with stenciled painted detailing in ochre, terra cotta, gold and other colors. I was able to photograph what was left. They were re hidden when the wall was finished, archaeological artifacts for the future, perhaps." 

 

On the left we get a section view toward lobby stairs, a restroom and office. On the right is a view of the fire escape on the south side of the building.

 

A facade elevation. Gary comments: "This shows that there was once a lot more ornament than what survives today, and early photos confirm this. The flag poles were given bases quite similar to those on the Avenue Theatre—where they are still extant."  

 

Marquee details. 

 

 

A closer look at the front of the marquee from the previous drawing. Gary comments: "Gotta’ love the little paired Baroque dolphins at the center of the marquee. Note the soffit contains only a single lamp in the center of each large square coffer. This cheaper alternative to a riot of smaller bulbs, arranged in patterns, was found on other Reid theatres, including the Golden State in Monterey."

 

 

 

A detail of the construction at the corner of the marquee. 

 

 

 

Vertical sign details. Gary comments: "Interestingly, among these drawings, a later sheet, showing the design of the vertical sign that was added in the late thirties, was discovered."  Thanks, Gary!

 

The Harding Salvage Department: 

 

Photos of a seat in the Gary Parks collection. He comments: 

 

"I have two identical downstairs loge seats from the Harding rescued in 2002, when the church was getting rid of a couple of sections of seats. This is one of them. The shiny brown paint and the mustard fabric date to the theatre’s 1972 churchification."

More information: See the Cinema Treasures page.

Hoodline had an October 2016 story: "Arcade Bar 'Emporium SF' to Relaunch in Harding Theatre This Spring." Also see their April 2017 article on the project: "Emporium SF Opening Pushed Back as Restoration on Harding Theatre Continues."

Also see "Danny Mark's Emporium," A November 2017 story in the Anderson Valley Advertiser.  Eater SF had a November 2017 story.

A January 2018 story on 7x7 had a half dozen interior photos of the crowds enjoying themselves at the Harding.

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