The Erotic Theatre

 312 Columbus Ave. | map |

Opened: Around 1974. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this photo that Tom Gray took in April 1975. The location is on the east side of the street between Broadway and Vallejo St. Jack comments:

"It's a site with an interesting history. La Tosca Cafe was its well known tenant from 1917 until October 1947, after which time it was upgraded to La Scala Restaurant on 6 May 1948. It reopened as Spivey's on 10 December 1954, with George Stuart Veach at the organ & piano bar; became Izzy's restaurant and delicatessen in June 1963; it was Big Al's from 8 May 1964 until March 1969 and reopened as the Barbary Coast in January 1973."

Closing: 1975. Jack notes: 

"After its stint as the Erotic Theatre it segued into a $1 Peep Show in May 1975."

Status: The building survives. As of 2021 a bar called Little Darlings was in the space. 

 

 

A detail from the April 1975 Tom Gray photo. Thanks, Jack! 

 

 

The building in 2021. We're looking north toward Vallejo St. in this Google Maps image. The former Erotic Theatre location is Little Darlings, that business in the center of the image with the pink sign. Jack comments: 

"Note the pathetic situation of the North Beach venues struggling to stay open with outdoor dining and the visibly sad lack of street traffic during the COVID shutdown."

 

More information: Jack Tillmany's Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres of San Francisco" can be previewed on Google Books. It's available from Amazon or your local bookseller.  

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