The Crest movie theater in downtown Sacramento has changed its mix of attractions several times during its long history — the vaudeville-era graffiti near the top of the curtains is one sign of that — and owner Bob Emerick has begun to revise the mix yet again.
Emerick, who bought the theater in 2011 and resumed managing it this year, says it’s still possible to run a movie palace like the Crest as a business. “I think it is. You have to look at the niche markets. I think ethnic programming is far too underrepresented in Sacramento. Bollywood, for instance.” So that’s one opportunity. Community events, such as graduations, are another draw, as are $2 tickets to movies that attract crowds of people who want to watch a familiar film with their friends. Plus concerts.
“You have to hustle. You have to adapt. You have to find entertainment for the venue,” he says. And a note for Davis: “Davis is absolutely key to keeping the Crest Theater alive,” says Emerick (an engineer who has three degrees from UC Davis), “because of the number of patrons from Davis.”
(Photo shows Davisville host Bill Buchanan inside the Crest before a Bruce Cockburn concert in November 2023.)
