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NewsTimes of San DiegoAugust 27, 2026San Diego

The history of the Hillcrest Theatre in San Diego

The Hillcrest Theatre, which opened in 1913 at 3825 Fifth Ave., served as the first film theater in San Diego outside of the downtown area. The building operated under various names and programming styles for decades before closing in 1997 and being demolished in 2002.

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Why It Matters

The theater serves as a historical marker for the early commercial development of the Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego.

Key Facts

  • The Hillcrest Theatre opened on May 10, 1913, at 3825 Fifth Ave.
  • It was the first film theater built in San Diego outside of the downtown area.
  • William Wesley Whitson purchased 40 acres of land in 1906 to begin the Hillcrest Subdivision.
  • The theater closed in 1917 and reopened in the 1930s under the Fox chain.
  • The theater was renamed the Guild Theatre on November 17, 1961.
  • By the 1970s, the theater transitioned to showing adult films before Landmark Theatres took over in 1978.
  • The theater closed permanently in 1997.
  • The original building was demolished in 2002 and replaced by a new structure with a facade designed to mimic the original.

Who's Mentioned

location3825 Fifth Ave.“Address of the Hillcrest/Guild Theatre.”organizationFox West Coast Theatres“Operator of the theater starting in the 1930s.”organizationCinema Treasures“Source of historical theater data.”organizationLandmark Theatres“Operator of the theater starting in 1978.”personWilliam Wesley Whitson“Founder of Hillcrest and the Hillcrest Co.”organizationSan Diego History Center“Source of historical records regarding the theater.”organizationHillcrest Co.“Company responsible for early Hillcrest development.”