SLO’s iconic Fremont Theater gets city’s permission to reopen
After a weeks-long closure, the iconic Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo got permission to reopen on Wednesday.
The road and sidewalk in front of the business were first closed on Feb. 17 after a strong winter storm broke off a chunk of the building’s blade sign.
Then, the city temporarily suspended the theater’s occupancy permit on Feb. 27 due to safety concerns, causing shows to be canceled, rescheduled or postponed.
The stretch of Monterey Street outside the theater finally reopened on April 2.
Meanwhile, an engineer evaluated the sign and decided the building was safe, a city news release said.
Then, the city’s community development department reviewed the engineer’s evaluation and reinstated the building’s certificate of occupancy on Wednesday.
“We appreciate the community’s patience as we worked with the property owner to safely reopen the Fremont Theater and surrounding area,” community development director Timothea Tway said in a news release. “We will continue working closely with the property owner to ensure the exterior of the Fremont Theater is repaired safely and in a way that preserves its historic character.”
The theater is reopening just in time for the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, which runs from April 23-28 and presents various events at the landmark venue.
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 5:34 PM.
