I went to the Chicago Public Library today to do some research on local theatres (see, fellow cinema lovers, as good as Cinema Treasures is, sometimes we still have to use books and libraries!). In researching movie ads, I discovered that the Plaza made it into the Loews/Cineplex chain and was open until at least late 1998. Ads for 12/24/1999 do not show the Plaza.
When I lived in Rogers Park from 1996-1998, I went to the K-mart mentioned above and I don’t recall seeing the theatre there. Obviously, it lasted a lot longer than I thought it did!
When the Loews/Cineplex merger intially went through, it gave the new chain some 44 theatres in the Chicagoland Area! The three Inter-City Entertainment cinemas—Lawndale, Chatham, & 62nd & Western—were included. Obviously many, many theatres were divested and/or shuttered and as I recall, the merger was a mess.
Also, AP, I noticed that ads for the Lincoln Village and the North Riverside appeared in the Sun-Times last week. Then apparently they’ve disappeared again!
So you were an insider with Village Entertainment. I was wondering why (in your previous posts) you said that Village was not well run. I’ve often thought that Village should have run only the Village and possibly the Village North. Did you notice that all of Village’s problems have occurred since they’ve tried to become a chain.
Believe me, AP, I very much want to support the local chain (i.e. I buy Jays Potato Chips instead of Lays). However, Village’s history speaks for itself. You can compare and contrast Village to another local chain, Classic Cinemas. Although CC did close a few money-losing cinemas, the company seems to have a solid business plan. CC’s cinemas are clean, well-maintained, and the company acts like it is interested in film and good presentation. I’m sure Village has had the best of intentions. But the best of intentions doth not a good theatre chain make! Instead of taking over theatre after theatre and closing theatre after theatre, Village really needs to get some good business acumen.
You can compare it to the photos of the Cinematour website. In this view View link (2004) we see that the Cineplex-Odeon logo has been removed and that the vertical sign is no longer used. Did Meridien cease using the sign or did Village?
I still say it’s a shame this place closed. Someone with good business sense could have made the Burnham profitable, what with several colleges and new housing nearby. But it was treated like an unwanted step-child fromt he beginning.
I don’t think that paying rent was an issue. This theatre has been very popular and profitable for many years. I think that whoever owns this building received a better offer from someone else (i.e. condos again). Also, if Village hadn’t been paying its rent, the company would have been evicted much sooner (the “For Rent” sign went up around December).
Brian W, I think it’s probably more than a rumor that this place will close. The “For Rent” sign on the marquee does not bode well. I wonder why the closure. The land could be “too valuable” (but as Arlington Heights proved, there can be room for condos and a cinema and live theatre). Or it could be that the building isn’t in good shape—something that is stated in the above posts.
I’ve always associated this theatre with “indie” newspapers like THE READER. Like THE READER, it always seemed “funky” and “offbeat”. But as Village Theatres has grown and become more “corporate,” this place may not fit in with their business module anymore.
(Or it could be like the Wells Street “corridor”. Once “artistic”, the area is now a yuppified version, trading on how it used to be).
I’ve been meaning to get over to the Village, and I’d like to see one more movie there before it closes. But lately, they’ve been showing movies that I don’t particularly care to see.
An excellent night time view of the Marbo’s marquee can be seen on the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) calendar. You can click on the following link: View link
If you need a lower resolution, click here: View link
The CTA’s annual calendar has many fascinating vintage views of its service are (Chicago and neighboring suburbs). This calendar is meant to be printed and used as a wall calendar.
While we’re on the subject, I wonder how many movie theatres, both vintage and multi-plex, are still served by streetcars or their modern descendants, light rail. This would be in the U.S. and Canada.
I am amazed that this theatre lasted as long as it did. In the 1970s and early 1980s, it still drew a big crowd. It was cheap and dirty and had the least comfortable seats anywhere.
I saw a totally ‘70s sci-fi flick here called CAPRICORN ONE. It starred Elliot Gould, James Brolin, OJ Simpson, Hal Holbrook, Karen Black, Telly Savalas, Brenda Vaccaro, and Sam Waterston.
Post them, Brian. We need to see them, even if they aren’t pretty. As theatre enthusiasts, it behooves us to see photos of deterioration and destruction as well as preservation.
In the book UNEXPECTED CHICAGOLAND by Carmilio Jose Vergara and Timothy Samuelson (ISBN: 1565847016, December 2001, New Press, The)
the signpost rammed thru the face of the goddess is described as
“Chicago’s Pinnochio”. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see it. It is the bottom post at the bottom “0”.
When and how did they tri-plex this theatre? Did they divide the theatre into three auditoriums? Or did they make two auditoriums for the 1st floor and a 3rd one out of the balcony.
Also, I beleive that Plitt and later Cineplex-Odeon owned/operated the Nortown.
For decent photos of the Chicago Tivoli Theatre, you can find them in history books about Chicago. An excellent example is LOST CHICAGO by David Gerrard Lowe (ISBN: 0823028712). It was in reading that book in 1981 that I discovered how much the PARADISE THEATRE album cover resembled the Tivoli.
If you look closely at the marquee on the STYX album, you’ll see how it resembles a genie’s hat. The artist may have, however, used the basic archeitecture of the Granada for his model.
It was said that the artist who painted the cover to Styx’s PARADISE THEATRE used the Granada Theatre (which was extant and hosting concerts at the time) as his model. However, the Granada had a modern marquee by that time.
However, I’ve always thought that if you look at the marquee for the Tivoli (the demolished on in Chicago, not the one in Downers Grove), you’ll notice some striking similarities.
If you look at the comments under the Beekman Theatre in New York (Manhattan), you’ll find a comment that says we seem to be regressing back to the bad old days of tearing down anything old. He is right. As land values go up, we will continue to see dollar signs flicker in the eyes of the developers. These people see no value in anything cultural or dare I say in individual and humanistic. The Gateway Theatre, even though it is profitable, has been threatned by condo development. In that theatre’s nieghborhood, Jefferson Park, the heart was ripped out of the shopping district for a new CVS.
I’m not opposed to condo development. Look at how Arlington Heights redeveloped its downtown with condos. BUT, they also included a performing arts center and a movie theatre. Culture was taken into consideration. And in my area, the South Loop, as I’ve said elsewhere, it has made sense to put condos into what was formerly a desolate area.
But what I see going on in Chicago, and I’m sure other cities, is the equivalent of what has happened in our suburbs. In the suburbs, people buy houses as “tear-downs” and replace them with “McMansions” that are not at all harmonius with their neighbors and their lot sizes. In the city, these new condo developments are going in with no sense of scale or harmony to the surrounding community. It’s sort of like wedging a Hummer into a parking space for a Ford Focus!
I’m waiting for the day when the developers deem that the land the Art Institute or the Chicago Historical Society sit on to be “too valuable.” Sadly, I say this only half-jokingly.
But for how long though? Look at how many companies have tried to operate this place over the past few years.
I went to the Chicago Public Library today to do some research on local theatres (see, fellow cinema lovers, as good as Cinema Treasures is, sometimes we still have to use books and libraries!). In researching movie ads, I discovered that the Plaza made it into the Loews/Cineplex chain and was open until at least late 1998. Ads for 12/24/1999 do not show the Plaza.
When I lived in Rogers Park from 1996-1998, I went to the K-mart mentioned above and I don’t recall seeing the theatre there. Obviously, it lasted a lot longer than I thought it did!
When the Loews/Cineplex merger intially went through, it gave the new chain some 44 theatres in the Chicagoland Area! The three Inter-City Entertainment cinemas—Lawndale, Chatham, & 62nd & Western—were included. Obviously many, many theatres were divested and/or shuttered and as I recall, the merger was a mess.
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Belvidere: -2004(?) 2005(?)
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
Theatres closed by the Village Entertainment chain and the years Village operated them:
Biograph: 2002-2004
Burnham Plaza: 2002-2005
Fox Valley: 2002-2003
Golf Glen: 2002-2006
Hinsdale: 2002-2003
Water Tower: 2002-2003
Notice that all came from Village’s expansion in 2002. Undercapitalized and over-expanded in such a short time
This theater had the Chicago priemier of “Rocky”, I believe.
Yeah, just look at the Lincoln Village (even Loews didn’t take down the sign there) and the recently closed Golf Glen.
Speaking of the sign, how were the letters on the upper sign changed? Was there a catwalk, or was a long pole used?
Also, AP, I noticed that ads for the Lincoln Village and the North Riverside appeared in the Sun-Times last week. Then apparently they’ve disappeared again!
A Projectionist:
So you were an insider with Village Entertainment. I was wondering why (in your previous posts) you said that Village was not well run. I’ve often thought that Village should have run only the Village and possibly the Village North. Did you notice that all of Village’s problems have occurred since they’ve tried to become a chain.
Believe me, AP, I very much want to support the local chain (i.e. I buy Jays Potato Chips instead of Lays). However, Village’s history speaks for itself. You can compare and contrast Village to another local chain, Classic Cinemas. Although CC did close a few money-losing cinemas, the company seems to have a solid business plan. CC’s cinemas are clean, well-maintained, and the company acts like it is interested in film and good presentation. I’m sure Village has had the best of intentions. But the best of intentions doth not a good theatre chain make! Instead of taking over theatre after theatre and closing theatre after theatre, Village really needs to get some good business acumen.
You can compare it to the photos of the Cinematour website. In this view View link (2004) we see that the Cineplex-Odeon logo has been removed and that the vertical sign is no longer used. Did Meridien cease using the sign or did Village?
And here is a photo of the pay-booth View link
I still say it’s a shame this place closed. Someone with good business sense could have made the Burnham profitable, what with several colleges and new housing nearby. But it was treated like an unwanted step-child fromt he beginning.
Cinemark Fan, how’s your theatre chain school project doing?
For some interesting reviews of the Village Theatre, click here View link and believe me they run the gamut!
Brian Wolf,
I don’t think that paying rent was an issue. This theatre has been very popular and profitable for many years. I think that whoever owns this building received a better offer from someone else (i.e. condos again). Also, if Village hadn’t been paying its rent, the company would have been evicted much sooner (the “For Rent” sign went up around December).
The function for this theatre should be “Office Space.”
Brian W, I think it’s probably more than a rumor that this place will close. The “For Rent” sign on the marquee does not bode well. I wonder why the closure. The land could be “too valuable” (but as Arlington Heights proved, there can be room for condos and a cinema and live theatre). Or it could be that the building isn’t in good shape—something that is stated in the above posts.
I’ve always associated this theatre with “indie” newspapers like THE READER. Like THE READER, it always seemed “funky” and “offbeat”. But as Village Theatres has grown and become more “corporate,” this place may not fit in with their business module anymore.
(Or it could be like the Wells Street “corridor”. Once “artistic”, the area is now a yuppified version, trading on how it used to be).
I’ve been meaning to get over to the Village, and I’d like to see one more movie there before it closes. But lately, they’ve been showing movies that I don’t particularly care to see.
An excellent night time view of the Marbo’s marquee can be seen on the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) calendar. You can click on the following link: View link
If you need a lower resolution, click here: View link
The CTA’s annual calendar has many fascinating vintage views of its service are (Chicago and neighboring suburbs). This calendar is meant to be printed and used as a wall calendar.
While we’re on the subject, I wonder how many movie theatres, both vintage and multi-plex, are still served by streetcars or their modern descendants, light rail. This would be in the U.S. and Canada.
I am amazed that this theatre lasted as long as it did. In the 1970s and early 1980s, it still drew a big crowd. It was cheap and dirty and had the least comfortable seats anywhere.
I saw a totally ‘70s sci-fi flick here called CAPRICORN ONE. It starred Elliot Gould, James Brolin, OJ Simpson, Hal Holbrook, Karen Black, Telly Savalas, Brenda Vaccaro, and Sam Waterston.
Post them, Brian. We need to see them, even if they aren’t pretty. As theatre enthusiasts, it behooves us to see photos of deterioration and destruction as well as preservation.
In the book UNEXPECTED CHICAGOLAND by Carmilio Jose Vergara and Timothy Samuelson (ISBN: 1565847016, December 2001, New Press, The)
the signpost rammed thru the face of the goddess is described as
“Chicago’s Pinnochio”. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see it. It is the bottom post at the bottom “0”.
When and how did they tri-plex this theatre? Did they divide the theatre into three auditoriums? Or did they make two auditoriums for the 1st floor and a 3rd one out of the balcony.
Also, I beleive that Plitt and later Cineplex-Odeon owned/operated the Nortown.
JG,
For decent photos of the Chicago Tivoli Theatre, you can find them in history books about Chicago. An excellent example is LOST CHICAGO by David Gerrard Lowe (ISBN: 0823028712). It was in reading that book in 1981 that I discovered how much the PARADISE THEATRE album cover resembled the Tivoli.
If you look closely at the marquee on the STYX album, you’ll see how it resembles a genie’s hat. The artist may have, however, used the basic archeitecture of the Granada for his model.
It was said that the artist who painted the cover to Styx’s PARADISE THEATRE used the Granada Theatre (which was extant and hosting concerts at the time) as his model. However, the Granada had a modern marquee by that time.
However, I’ve always thought that if you look at the marquee for the Tivoli (the demolished on in Chicago, not the one in Downers Grove), you’ll notice some striking similarities.
If you look at the comments under the Beekman Theatre in New York (Manhattan), you’ll find a comment that says we seem to be regressing back to the bad old days of tearing down anything old. He is right. As land values go up, we will continue to see dollar signs flicker in the eyes of the developers. These people see no value in anything cultural or dare I say in individual and humanistic. The Gateway Theatre, even though it is profitable, has been threatned by condo development. In that theatre’s nieghborhood, Jefferson Park, the heart was ripped out of the shopping district for a new CVS.
I’m not opposed to condo development. Look at how Arlington Heights redeveloped its downtown with condos. BUT, they also included a performing arts center and a movie theatre. Culture was taken into consideration. And in my area, the South Loop, as I’ve said elsewhere, it has made sense to put condos into what was formerly a desolate area.
But what I see going on in Chicago, and I’m sure other cities, is the equivalent of what has happened in our suburbs. In the suburbs, people buy houses as “tear-downs” and replace them with “McMansions” that are not at all harmonius with their neighbors and their lot sizes. In the city, these new condo developments are going in with no sense of scale or harmony to the surrounding community. It’s sort of like wedging a Hummer into a parking space for a Ford Focus!
I’m waiting for the day when the developers deem that the land the Art Institute or the Chicago Historical Society sit on to be “too valuable.” Sadly, I say this only half-jokingly.