The Playhouse District evolved during the 1920s as a major concentration of retail, business, professional and cultural activities along Colorado Boulevard. The District still retains many of the original buildings built during this period, and a significant portion of the District is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1994. The development of the District marked the beginnings of an eastward growth of the City and included the construction of the historic Playhouse Theatre Building in 1925, the "State Theater of California." In 1969, after years of financial problems, the Playhouse closed its doors. The Pasadena Playhouse Theatre was completely renovated in the 1980s and reopened in 1984. The Pasadena Star News operated its daily newspaper in the District until the early 1990s. The Star News building is now occupied by Glabman's Furniture and a 40,000 "24-Hour Fitness Center." Robinson’s Department Store, built as a free standing store in the late 1950s, later closed its doors in 1992. Target opened the nation's first two level Target store in 1994 in the building of the former Robinson's Department store. The District is home to Pasadena Methodist Church, Pasadena Presbyterian Church, the Church of Christian Science, and Fuller Theological Seminary. The Pacific Asia Museum, established in the District in 1970, has a nationally recognized collection of Asian art housed within a historically significant building. The California School of Culinary Arts is in the process of opening a 55,000 square foot school on Green Street. The Playhouse District has several art galleries, furniture stores, antique stores, gift stores, and many other businesses associated with home furnishings. Other art related businesses include a wide variety of new and used book stores, florists, jewelry stores and the Laemmle Playhouse 7 Cinemas, a stadium seating art cinema theater. Future growth in the District includes various new residential developments currently being constructed and others being proposed, solidifying the Playhouse District vision of "Culture, Commerce and Community"
Playhouse District Association 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 205 Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 744-0340