The Bay Theatre in Seal Beach, California hasn't shown movies for more than a decade, but that changed when the theater reopened late last month.

Located just south of the Pacific Coast Highway on Main Street, the theater can trace its history back to 1945 when it opened as the Beach Theatre. It received its current name when it was sold to Fox West Theatres in 1946. At that point, the neon marquee was added, making it a fixture for Seal Beach for many years. It closed in 2012 and was purchased by Paul Dunlap, owner of the Dunlap Property Group, in December 2016.

The theater was designated by the city as a historical landmark in September 2016. After the purchase, the theater underwent a restoration project to preserve original aspects while bringing it into current times. The project was featured on HGTV's House Hunters Renovation show in an episode titled "This Reno is History." The theater's website shows photos from the project and has video from the HGTV program on its News page.

Showtimes

To see what's playing and when, please visit the Showtimes page for the Bay Theatre.

Related News Articles

• Seal Beach’s Bay Theatre gets new owner with focus on art films and live entertainment -- Orange County Register [Jan 17, 2017]
• Seal Beach’s Bay Theatre has a buyer with a vision -- Orange County Register [May 7, 2016]

Updated on February 4, 2026 to add link to showtimes.