By: Aaliyah Español-Rivas, UC Davis Class of 2027
5pm on a Sunday in Downtown Davis is anything but bustling. As most folks stay indoors to prepare for the new week, the normally busy streets are empty. The doors on one building, however, swing open and shut—a neon light cascading on all who pass by.
The Davis Varsity Theater is preparing for their final showing of the day. General manager and 19-year Varsity veteran Whitney Martinez holds down the fort with assistant manager Cristian Recinos as students, families, and regulars trickle in. Martinez was just a high schooler looking for a part time job when she applied, but The Varsity already ran deep in her blood.
“My grandmother worked here when the theater first opened in the 50s,” Martinez said. “Eventually, I worked here, and my brother worked here, so my family has always had a connection to the Varsity.”
The theater opened in 1921, before it was sold by Westside Valley Theaters and rebuilt in 1949. Since 1950, the theater has undergone many changes before becoming the iteration standing today. From one auditorium to two, adding a stage in front of one of the screens, and even becoming a community theater for fourteen years—until 2005, when the theater was sold to Jon Fenske and Sinisa Novakovic to run as “a single-screen arthouse cinema.”
Arthouse cinemas specialize in high quality films that may not be extremely successful commercially, like foreign or indie selections.
“The fact that the Varsity is an arthouse theater makes us stand out,” Martinez said. “We put a lot of thought and research into each film we show. Instead of playing whatever film is available or films projected to make a lot of money, we research and listen to what customers want to see.”
Then the pandemic happened. The Varsity pivoted, offering movies through a streaming service for the community to combat the loss of profit. And because the theater is a historic landmark, the City of Davis forgave their rent, Martinez said. But the effects of the pandemic were irreversible.
“Before the pandemic, there was a steady crowd,” Martinez said. “Our audience was mostly seniors, but they were consistent, becoming our regulars. We were playing all Oscar-nominated films and were on a steady upswing.”
Returning to theaters has proven daunting in a post-pandemic world. Accustomed to streaming, audiences now prefer to stay home. As many as 66% of Americans would prefer to wait for films when they drop on streaming, rather than see them in movie theaters, according to a Harris Poll.
“It has been a slow, slow, slow comeback,” Martinez sighed. “We’re still not at pre-pandemic levels of attendance. I think this year is the first year we’re finally starting to see progress, and hope that this trend of larger audiences continues.”
But with the rise of independent films and studios, a light at the end of the tunnel. Recinos said the lure of new independent films is what enticed him to visit the Varsity in the first place.
“I remember coming to the Varsity on a random day,” Recinos told The Dirt. “Obviously the neon signs were the first thing that drew me in, but I mainly went to see ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ I didn’t know any other theaters in the area playing it since it was an indie film.”
Recinos knew he wanted to work there. Dropping off his resume every year, Recinos was finally offered a position in early 2024.
“There was just something about the theater I couldn’t shake. There’s a familiar, family feel to this theater,” Recinos said. “And I knew after seeing one movie here, I wanted to be a part of it.”
Growing in popularity, independent studios such as A24 have produced some of the most critically acclaimed films in recent years, and the Varsity is the only theater in Davis that shows them.
The Varsity is one of two theaters in town, the Regal Davis Holiday is the other movie theater. Part of the major “Regal” franchise, the theater shows blockbuster films made by major studios. Davis’ other Regal theater, Davis Regal Cinema 5 closed in May 2023.
“We just want to show movies you can’t see anywhere else. Movies that examine the human condition and leave you with a message,” Recinos said. “We want to get people excited to see movies, not only with our art-deco interior but with the welcomeness we provide.”
“Since the pandemic, it’s the students that are keeping us alive,” Martinez said. “We have a lot of regular customers both students and Davis residents, and it has been really nice getting to know them throughout the years and building up a rapport and relationship with them.”
As audiences evolve, one thing remains true – there is a community at the Varsity you can’t find at any other movie theater.
“I think because we have such a small staff, you do get to know us and build a relationship with us,” Martinez said. “We’re a small business, but also a family.”
Though Martinez’s departure is bittersweet, she’s hopeful for the future of the Varsity and thankful for the time she spent.
“I hope the Varsity continues to provide a comforting place for people to come and escape by getting lost in a movie,” Martinez said. “I’ve learned and grown so much during my time here. I’ve made lifelong friendships with coworkers and customers, I met my partner here and fell in love, and I am just so lucky that because of the Varsity I was able to achieve all of this.”
