Brea Plaza
453 Associated Road, Brea, CA. 92821

Specifications

    Operators: Mann/Edwards/Captain Blood/Tristone
    Status: Open
    Opened: 4/1/1977
    Closed: NA
    Current Use:  Film (subrun)
    Screens: 4/5
    Seating: Slope

Profile

The Brea Plaza was operated as a first run venue by Mann Theatres until the mid-90s, when it was taken over by Edwards and booked as an art house. Following Edwards’ bankruptcy and subsequent purchase by Regal Entertainment, the Brea 4 was briefly closed, before being picked up by Captain Blood’s Family Theatres in 2002. Blood’s ran the theatre as a discount house for several years, until it was forced to close, yet again, in the spring of 2006.

Located directly across from the 57 freeway’s Imperial Highway off-ramp, the property is a relatively busy shopping plaza, next door to the Brea Mall. However, the theatre is tucked away in a back corner of the plaza, almost hidden behind the other structures. Were it not for a five foot, ground level marquee, located beside a Denny’s restaurant, there would be little evidence a theatre existed on the property.

The theatre is a non-descript, free standing, beige box and only identifiable via faded Mann era signage. Inside, the decor and layout are typical of an early/mid-80s multiplex; shoebox auditoriums off of a small, generic lobby, with vaulted ceiling. The theatre was obviously built on a modest budget and little effort was ever placed on maintaining/upgrading the building, resulting in a sub par venue that is in a general state of disrepair.

Underbuilt, poorly maintained, located in the worst possible area of a prime property, in close proximity to numerous competitors, and changing ownership annually; hardly the ingredients for a successful theatre, but, somehow, the Brea Plaza managed to stay in business for over twenty-five years.

In the Summer of 2010,  the Brea Plaza was remodeled and opened once again, as a discount priced theatre, by Tristone Cinemas.

Images

2010 Remodel

Click on images for larger view