By Frank Nuñez
Director, Vista Irrigation District | Board Member, Vista Historical Society | Candidate for Vista City Council, District 1 | Small Business Owner | Founder, Future Filmmakers | Filmmaker & Author
Before Cinépolis. Before Krikorian. There was the Avo Theater.
Back in 1988, when I was a student at Lincoln Middle School, I sat inside that downtown Vista landmark and watched Tequila Sunrise. The film starred Mel Gibson as a former drug dealer trying to go straight, Kurt Russell as his best friend and narcotics detective, and Michelle Pfeiffer as a restaurant owner caught between them. At the time, I had no idea I was witnessing one of the final chapters of local movie history.
A year later, the Avo stopped showing films. After serving our community from 1948 to 1989, the curtains closed and an era came to an end. I consider myself fortunate to have experienced it.
Fast forward to 2026. Walking back toward that familiar brick façade, memories came flooding back. The building needs some love, but it is still standing, still holding its ground, and still reminding us of a time when downtown Vista felt like a destination.
That feeling returned on May 23, when Vista City Council Member Jeff Fox hosted a town hall meeting to discuss the Downtown Committee’s Recommended Downtown Concept Plan. The proposal outlines a long-term vision for downtown improvements with an estimated cost between $10 million and $20 million, spread across multiple phases over the next decade. Importantly, it does not rely on new taxes. Funding would come from existing city resources, capital improvement funds, developer impact fees, grants, and potentially private contributions.
I appreciate the effort that went into the plan. Community volunteers and city staff invested significant time developing it. But after reviewing the presentation, I found myself asking one question:
Where is the wow factor?
I am not talking about one-way streets or parking configurations. Reasonable people can disagree about those details. What I am talking about is the thing that makes people want to come downtown in the first place.
There were roughly 40 to 50 people at the meeting. When the vision was finally revealed, the reaction in the room felt more measured than enthusiastic. Nobody seemed inspired by what they had just seen.
That reaction matters.
Over the years, I have traveled across much of America. Inspired by the Beastie Boys anthem No Sleep Till Brooklyn, my wife and I once drove from Vista to Brooklyn with little more than determination and a road map. The following year, I made another marathon drive from Vista to South Beach, Florida. Along the way, I developed a fascination with small-town downtown districts, particularly throughout central Texas.
The most successful downtowns all have something in common: they give people a reason to stop, stare, take a picture, bring their friends, and come back again. They have a signature attraction, a memorable gathering place, a landmark feature, or an experience that cannot be found anywhere else.
That is what creates energy.
That is what fills restaurants.
That is what drives foot traffic to local businesses.
And that is what turns visitors into customers.
When families spend the day at LEGOLAND California or visit our nearby beaches, what would motivate them to make a special trip to downtown Vista afterward? That is the question we should be asking.
To be clear, this is not a criticism of the people who worked on the plan. I respect their effort and their commitment to our city. But I believe we need to think bigger.
Right now, the proposal feels functional. It feels safe. It checks a lot of boxes. What it doesn’t do is capture the imagination.
Downtown Vista deserves an identity that captures attention and creates excitement. It needs something that becomes synonymous with our city, something residents are proud to show off and visitors are eager to experience.
Because this discussion is about more than landscaping, parking spaces, or street design. It is about civic pride. It is about creating a downtown that reflects the creativity, culture, and character of Vista itself.
I have spent much of my life telling stories through film, community work, and now through my upcoming memoir, Los Angeles Street: From Juvenile Hall to the Ballot Box.
Every memorable story has a moment that captures people’s attention.
The Avo Theater once gave our community a reason to gather, a reason to come downtown, and a reason to create memories.
As we plan the next chapter of Vista’s story, we should remember that every great movie needs a star.
Downtown Vista needs one too.
