Landmark Pasadena Playhouse Movie Theatre Seeks Permit to Sell Alcohol

Editor’s note: this article originally carried a photograph of the Pasadena Playhouse, which was an error. In fact, this article pertains to the Landmark Theatre movie house. We apologize for this mistake.

The hearing officer will consider approving a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that would allow the on-site sale and consumption of full alcohol — beer, wine, and distilled spirits —  in conjunction with the operation of an existing multi-screen movie theater and allow a walkup bar window and an outdoor seating area that will serve alcohol at the Landmark Theatre on East Colorado Boulevard.

The movie theater opened in January, after signing a lease agreement to take over the Playhouse 7 movie theater venue in May of 2022. 

“The previous theater operator, Laemmle Theater, had been in operation since 1999, and in 2020 obtained approval of CUP #6763 to allow the on-site sale and consumption of beer and wine at the concession counter in conjunction with food sales,” according to a City staff report. “A Conditional Use Permit is required to allow for the change from beer and wine sales to full alcohol sales.”

As part of the application, alcohol would be at the new seated bar adjacent to the existing concessions counter/lobby area. 

In addition, the application includes the conversion of the existing ticket window into a new walk-up bar area and the creation of a new 480 square-foot outdoor patio area located along the east side of the building.

The original Laemmle Playhouse 7 opened on February 5, 1999 with seating for 1,300 in seven separate theaters, and showing an eclectic mix of mainstream films and independent art films. It was built from the ground up by Laemmle Theatres, the Southern California family-run art house chain founded by Carl Laemmle in 1938.

A series of financial maneuvers failed after Laemmle sold the 22,897 square-foot location to GD Realty Group of Los Angeles, owner and developer of urban commercial real estate in prime Southern California locations, including Pasadena.