Ellwest Stereo Theater

The building was constructed c.1915. For decades, it held similar shops to the rest of Broadway at the time, mostly furniture stores. Around 1972, Ellwest Stereo Theater was opened. The building owner was Henry Kantor (1909-1994). The business owners were always less clear, but William (Bill) E. Bingham (unknown-unknown) and Larry Trambitas (1921-unknown) (possibly Valeir Vincent Trambitas). It was almost immediately subject to police raids, and continued to be, for a variety of reasons, for the entire time it was open. This led to a push and pull between branches of government. Ordinances would target Ellwest and other businesses, and police would make a series of raids and arrests. Then a judge would be brought in to decide if they had overstepped. Early raids were for obscenity laws. Subsequent waves were instead about indecent exposure and prostitution. The final wave of raids was around a purported public health crisis, alleging that these stores contributed to the AIDS crisis. A lawsuit by Ellwest et al. went all the way to federal court in 1989, with mixed results. Long story short, Ellwest and related businesses couldn't have private viewing booths. This, combined with the rise of home video rental, drove these stores out of business. Ellwest closed in 1990.