The Clova Theatre

The Clova Theatre was built on the main street in Cloverdale in 1947. Its on the east side of 176th Street between 58th and 58th Avenues.

When I was a kid I think it was an Odeon. Though I could be wrong. For all I know it was a Famous Players. Those were the two movie distributors back then and played different movies at their theatres, though they seemed to have merged now.

The Saturday matinees were a big thing for us kids. The movies cost a quarter to get in. I saw many of the Disney classics here. There were a lot of Disney movies produced in the late sixties that were also played here on Saturdays.

I remember seeing Star Wars here after it opened in 1977. I'd come down in the evening with a friend. The street was packed with a line up. The first show sold out but we bought tickets for the second show a couple of hours later. I remember when we returned and they opened the doors. There was a mad rush, everyone pushing to get inside. There's no way the staff could have verified who had bought tickets and who hadn't.

In the eighties it changed and started showing mostly foreign films and even some live shows here. But in the nineties the Clova revived again, purchased by a young man and his parents, and became known for being lower priced than the big movie houses in the area. The movies were current, probably playing at the other movie houses, but maybe a couple of weeks after the original opening date. The Clova became known for two different movies playing each night. For the same price you can see one or both movies, so its a very good deal.

The Clova also does get new releases the same opening day as the bigger movie houses. The deal is they have to show a new release for two weeks and show only that movie. No two fer's during this 2 week period.

The Clova is also known for serving good popcorn with real butter. They fill a popcorn container halfway, put on melted butter, and then fill the rest of the container and more popcorn. These days the Clova does its part to promote being green and encourages patrons to bring their own reusable containers and for $2 get it filled with popcorn. Most people bring in 4 litre ice cream buckets for their popcorn. And patrons who bring in their own reusable drink containers can also buy a pop for $2. Good value all around.

And everyone who purchases a ticket can enter their name in a monthly draw to win a one year pass to the Clova.

Right now the prices at the Clova are $7 per person. Cheap Tuesdays are $4. That price is good for one or both movies. This is the best value around for going out to the movies.