Just did some more rereads of past Wood’s posts. In the 1963 photo Bryan Krefft posted in 2005, the one with the Bob Hope film on the marquee, the Hotel Sherman behind it at Randolph & Clark was actually called the Sherman House. But it was indeed a hotel.
My father played trombone and upright bass there inside it’s club.
Frank Sinatra and many other high profile singers & musicians played there over the years. Probably while their own films were playing the Woods and other theatres downtown.
The State of Illinois building is now on the site where the Sherman House once stood.
If only the Woods could have escaped demolition and been the source of a renovation along with the Selwyn/Michael Tood, to build out the new Goodman Theatre.
It’s ironic that there’s a push to call it all the “Theater District”, when that’s what it always was to begin with, until everything was torn down.
P.S. Heartland Cafe up North used to rent out a VHS of Stony Island, but that was 20 years ago.
I just reread one of Paul E’s 2005 posts about seeing “The Bubble” at the Woods. It triggered my memory that my parents took me and my brother to that film as well. Quite possibly at the Woods. I had nightmares for weeks, as I was all of about 6 at the time.
Imagine 3D horror at that age. Or taking me for that matter.
I remember the zombie like newsman in the film swinging a newspaper 3D style, and just repeating over & over “Paper…Morning Paper”.
Should have charged my father back years later for all the therapy. Ha!
Wow, I never made that connection. Stony Island was great. Somewhere I have a VHS I think I got at Facets.
I know I have the soundtrack LP. Longtime Goodman Theatre/Christmas Carol alum Tom Mula played the undertaker.
Also the father of Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs was somehow involved.
I think a friend of my brothers played bass in it too.
I remember they were able to incorporate some of Richard J. Daley’s funeral into the film. The late Oscar Brown Jr. played an Alderman.
I previously posted on CT’s Sandburg/Playboy Theatre page that I saw Stony Island there then, and Siskel was at the show.
Cool. I guess “Booksellers Row” would have implied more than just one store or something. And Bookman’s Alley was quite the quaint place all by itself.
I can’t remember if the Varsity had fire escapes hung over that same alley or not. Or if they were removed or not during the conversion. If so, even if some portions of the Varsity’s old interior are just encapsulated as previous posts imply, ever converting back to some usable theatre space could be hampered. If the balcony exits are no longer usable or up to code. I’ll take a spin by there soon.
I caught a quick glimpse of the Wapa’s classic Americana exterior in an establishing shot in a show on the Oxygen Network called “Snapped”.
So I just had to see if there was a link on Cinema Treasures. CT’s never let me down.
The Wapa Theatre is apparently located in the hometown of the mom/murder suspect whose story was profiled.
I am pleased to read on CT that the Wapa is currently making another go at remaining open. It’s good to read that even during it’s closure that the owner would “keep the building up and open to suggestions”. A far cry from the too many of which we read about, that just fall into complete disrepair after closure and ultimately are destroyed. Since the Wapa is so clearly incorporated into a building of that size, I’m sure it will be maintained properly as it searches for it’s footing once again.
I’m curious if the interior appears as original as the exterior does. Given the classic vibe the still pictures have. Wonder if they’ve tried the arthouse double bills of classic older films as of yet. Or tried to tie in any theatre anniversary promotions.
To remind local folks that it’s still there through special events advertising, etc.
I wish the Wapa many years of continued, consistent success.
Now if I could just figure out why I was ever watching Oxygen in the first place.
I wanted to add that the GAP was not the first retailer to go into the gutted/“remodeled” Varsity space. The first tenant was a chain record/CD store along the lines of Coconuts or Peaches.
It was there as late as 1990 or early `91.
It was right at the time when new CD’s were being sold in that “long box” packaging format that tried to resemble record albums. A wasteful format that the eco-folks and some prominent musicians quickly fought to eliminate.
I think the GAP only went into the former Varsity space, when/after the old “County Seat” store just a bit further North on the same side of Sherman Ave. finally closed.
After the CD store closed, a similar one just as large if not larger, opened across the street where a CVS is now located. There was a giant, bi-level Barnes & Noble too, which has also since closed on the corner across from & just South of the Varsity.
There was also a tiny vintage book store down the alley and across from the Varsity’s side exit doors. I think it was called Booksellers Row or something.
P.S. I like the 1972 CTA picture of the Vic’s back wall in Bryan’s 2004 post. Complete with Hydra swooping in to attack the Southbound train.
I also just remembered that long time Lincoln Ave. hamburger shop Muskies, had their 2nd location in the corner space just North of the Vic. Where Bank of America is now.
Muskies closed after what else, a fire.
The 400 was another one that in the `80’s had midnight runs of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. I heard from a friend that it was pretty much a free for all, where attendees threw their toast and what not with no apparent intervention by management.
I seem to remember they did get a crack at some pretty good 2nd run films at one time. Maybe even first run since the closest theatre still operating in the 90’s was the Adelphi.
The only film I remember seeing at the 400 was some indie action romp, starring John Matusak formerly of Oakland Raiders and “North Dallas Forty” fame. He died not long after the film was released. So maybe 1988 or so.
The Oasis was/is a 4am tavern just across the street on Sheridan. It was pretty much necessary after that.
I remember seeing “Basic Instinct” at the Webster Place Theatres when it came out. The lines were extremely long. Our goal was to get tickets and go over to Pequods or Flounders until closer to showtime. However the large crowds meant staying there until the next show. Cause they were doing the ropes and head count thing, and not really checking tickets.
There were some protesters on site who were vocally objecting to the film’s depiction of a bisexual female lead played by Sharon Stone, as being prone to violence and a killer.
The heavy press coverage of that distinction likely caused larger crowds to sell out many of the initial showings.
Which in turn caused some of the protestors to essentially be drowned out and basically a non factor to sales, if that was one of their goals.
I’m not sure if Webster had the escalators or not before the remodeling. If so, they were possibly shut off to accomodate the large crowds waiting for the next showings. Because I remember standing for a long period on the stairs. I remember thinking fire code should have an issue with that large of a crowd waiting inside the building, with an already full theatre. And us on the common stairs out.
The last thing I saw recently at Webster Place was “Juno”.
The trick there now is to make sure you park in the correct lot for the theatre, and not the adjacent strip mall lot. Something I did twice, got right, and still don’t know how.
The cost for accidental mall parking was higher than that for the validated theatre parking. A security guard just happened to mention it. The theatre had not. And we again had already secured tickets.
Thanks CinemarkFan for the confirmation. I was pretty sure Drury Lane/WT is where I saw T2. I lived two blocks from there in `91.
The Drury Lane stage theater in Evergreen Park was in a complex called “The Martinique”. The place with the chapel, banquet hall & giant Vegas style signage. Inside the lobby near the theatre entrance was a small rather low `60’s looking bar. With swiveling, high backed vinyl bar stools that were attached to the floor. Pictures of Debbie Reynolds, Robert Goulet etc. adorned the walls.
It was razed to build a WalMart, but not sure if that ever happened.
In addition to Oakbrook, there is also a Drury Lane North in Lincolnshire.
A “theater in the round” as they say, but really it’s a smallish square stage with ascending seats on all four sides. It’s been active for quite sometime, and is part of a hotel complex itself. The theatre is designed for and only suitable for stage plays. Which is as far off topic as I’ll go.
I was just thinking back on how special things were at The Carnegie in the`70’s.
The animated signage I mentioned in a previous post, were actually ornately themed pieces constructed partially over the illuminated portions of the Carnegie’s existing marquee.
For instance during the Chaplin festival’s first film, a giant Chaplin “tramp” character was constructed with electrically moving hips from side to side. Additional spot lights were added to illuminate whatever portions there were made of painted plywood, that didn’t benefit from the existing lighting.
As the film’s changed out, so did the signage designs. Small mobile spotlight trucks seemed almost the norm at times. Making every showing seem as a special event. The oldest advertising gig in the book: Motion turns heads.
The modern glass ticket booth was offset all the way to the left of the entrance, but angled to face slightly Northeast. There was a small office behind it. If I remember correctly, the concession stand was behind the interior side of the ticket booth and accessed by the same office.
Inside the lobby was modern with an orangish decor & possibly brown carpeting. Just inside towards the back of the lobby, there was a sunken lounge area beyond a railing with couches, chairs & lamps. The restrooms were on the North & South sides of that lounge.
The auditorium itself was also sunken to even lower than the lounge level, accessed by long downward ramps at both ends of the lobby as well.
This design allowed it to accomodate the height it needed for one large screen & the audience seating to run upward. Even though the parking garage was directly above, and appeared only one or two short stories up itself from street level out front. The previously mentioned organ was to the left of the screen.
Next door Mister Kelly’s shared facade had round brick windows that housed pictures of the upcoming entertainers. Morey Amsterdam, Mort Sahl, Tim & Tom (Reid & Dreesen), drummer Buddy Rich, other bands, singers etc.
Across Rush street going South from the Bellevue Corner was the original Jay’s, another small bar downstairs in the back, Henry’s florist, the Waterfront restaurant, and the Singapore Room. With a giant vertical sign adorned with climbing, flashing neon monkeys.
This sign could briefly be seen during the open of WGN’s NightBeat newscasts with Marty McNeely, then Jack Taylor.
Then a small parking lot, which seemingly handled a lot more “business” than parking cars. Then was Pat Haran’s (now Jilly’s), the Backroom club (still there), a retail store and of course Rush & Oak corner tenant Burgerville. Which other than “Banquet On A Bun” up the street, was one of the original cheap, late night grease fixes.
At a time when Division Street’s Five Faces was still just an ice cream store.
P.S. Bill Freidkin and William Peterson’s Chicago roots are well documented. So it’s great that they would come back to screen some of their Hollywood projects here first. Hopefully the fairly recent premiere of “The Break Up” here, will reignite that trend.
Greetings. The Water Tower Theatre on the Chestnut Street level side, was indeed originally built for live theatre. The plays “Vanities” & “Evita” with Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin played there around 1981. Also possibly one of the first verions of “Love Letters”.
After that it was coverted to movie screens. I last saw “Kingpin” there when it came out. Possibly “Terminator 2” also.
And of course it is now back to being called Drury Lane, and features live theatre & music. Their one day promotion today was to receive tickets to January’s staging of “Xanadu”, if you were of the first 20 to roller skate up to the box office this morning.
There was another long standing Drury Lane Theatre in Evergreen Park, that did strictly stage shows for decades.
A time warp of a place that felt as if you were walking into a `60’s Las Vegas hotel lobby. It also had a unique wedding chapel & lower level banquet facility. The name of the entire complex escapes me.
It was sadly all torn down several years ago.
FYI. Fox organist Stan Kann has nice obituary in the current Old Cars Weekly magazine written by Gerald Perschbacher.
It mentions his 22 year Fox career, memorial and scholarship fund set up at the theatre.
Also that he later had appeared a record 77 times on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and 89 times on the Mike Douglas Show. “A vacuum cleaner & gadget collector who hilariously fumbled his way into the hearts of millions of Americans”. All of which was after his move to California.
He was also unbeknownst to most people, a car collector.
It further states that he “was hailed as the best known concert organist in North America”.
I forgot to mention that the Aragon had a sister ballroom around 63rd & Cottage Grove, called The Trianon. I’ve seen some interior pics posted around the net before. It was quite opulant with recessed oval lighting, giant lounges and expensive furniture as would be expected of a theatre type space of it’s vintage.
The Trianon was open from the early 20’s until the late 50's. Then left vacant and torn down in the60’s.
I think I read that they had certain house rules about chaperones, unaccompanied women and interracial dancing to accomodate changing times.
When I worked at Fanning Cadillac on Broadway & Foster, we had a longtime Balmoral neighborhood greeter of Japanese descent, who said she was barred from patronizing the Aragon Ballroom during and shortly after World War II. Some of her famliy had been interred as well. She was a sweetheart of a lady named Dahli, who had a wealth of knowledge about the Uptown neighborhood. Sadly she passed away maybe ten year ago.
Like the Aragon, the Trianon would sometimes do live radio broadcasts of jazz bands at dance events. Some on WGN, and some later transferred to 78rpm records.
The Mercury has had some extended run live shows as of late. The Buddy Holly Story, Ron Hawking’s Sinatra Tribute, etc. (Urinetown I think was cancelled before it could open.)
That stretch of Southport has a quite active nightlife. There are taverns on either side of the Mercury. Take 5 and an Irish restaurant/tavern called Cullen’s. The latter is actually kind of partially incorporated in/next to the theatre.
To serve the theatre patrons as I remember. They may have a management deal or are/were part owners of the Mercury.
Much like the old Drury Lane on Pearson was to former neighboring nightclub Tamborine, musicians from the Mercury would often play at the neighboring bars on some off nights.
The Buddy Holly Story guys had their own offshoot band doing originals & some covers at Blue Bayou across the street. A buddy of mine ran karaoke at Blue Bayou, and they’d even show up for that after shows or gigs.
I got to catch the Mercedes ad featuring the El Rey this evening. Narrated by none other than “The Waltons” John-Boy, (Richard Thomas).
Plenty of screen time for the El Rey.
I believe the El Rey was also the location for a Cowsills reunion show about 4 or 5 years ago, called “It’s A Family Thing 2”. A benefit show for Bill Cowsill who was then facing some health issues. Before both he and Barry passed away.
It featured Shirley Jones and some of the Bangles. The latter related I believe through marriage to the Cowsills. The first “Family Thing” was a 60’s TV special featuring them, hosted by Buddy Ebson.
Greetings. Both the Aragon and Riviera I’d say are considerably smaller than the Uptown. The Uptown boasted “an acre of seats”. So the stage to accomodate a crowd that big would be quite large.
The load-in I’ve seen most at the Riviera, is through a door on on the Lawrence Avenue side. Semi trucks and/or tour buses usually remain parked on the South side of Lawrence as well.
I think trucks/tour buses are currently barred from the North side of Lawrence, because of an existing CTA bus stop and to insure traffic flow.
Since they’ve done primarily just bands since it stopped showing movies, I’d say no elaborate sets were ever really part of the mix.
The Aragon has an alley between itself and the “L” tracks to the West. I’ve seen that alley blocked off before, but also some obvious band trucks & buses in a small corner lot kitty corner and to the East.
Remember too that the Aragon was a ballroom, not a theater. It has a huge oval like dance floor on the second floor. With a stage on the South end of the building. The seats during the ballroom days were along the sides with tables, and above on balconies overlooking the dance floor.
The first floor is just lobby space, some offices and retail storefronts. Used to contain pool halls & liquor stores etc.
Some concerts I remember in the 70's &80’s at the Aragon, they would set up temporary folding seats over the old ballroom floor, facing the stage. Nugent, Ramones(like you sat for that), Aldo Nova, Cheap Trick, Stray Cats, Rick “Elvis” Saucedo, etc.
I don’t know if they bother with any chairs at shows now.
So the load-in for a renovated Uptown beyond just bands again, would take some serious planning. Most likely as I had posted before, somehow incorporating the side street to the West, and possibly making an actual loading dock, out of what used to be an exit with a smaller marquee overhang as I remember.
We hung out Saturday nights in the late `70’s at a place called Fiddler’s Green across the street from the former Ridge Theatre.
There was also a rather small bar next door to the Ridge in 1984-85. Though I don’t recall the name. I think it had then recently converted in to the hardware store. Devon had many bars between Ashland & Broadway back then.
Cuneen’s, COD’s, etc. Dewey’s across from the hardware store parking lot, on the Clark St. side was the better of the late night food emporiums. Dewey’s classic name in the brickwork was covered by an awning a while back.
Correction. The City of Chicago owned/operated parking structure was at the S/E corner of Delaware & Rush. Not Chestnut & Rush. That of course is Quigley North.
I regret this error, and blame it on it being 12:55 am.
I’d venture to say that Marilyn Miglin is likely the most powerful force on Oak St. Even more than Oak Bank.
The street is literally named after her in signage, at the intersection of Oak & Rush. (A Natarus Tradition)
I’m surprised she didn’t just purchase the Esquire herself long ago.
Or help broker whatever she wanted to be there in the first place. Her late husband was a giant in the Chicago real estate world.
But still you’d almost think she would have preferred the hotel concept. Wouldn’t that have just increased her own high end foot traffic? With rich, free spending out of towners mere steps from her door?
Of course the Drake & Soffitel are both within easy walking distance of her shop already. So I’m sure she already knows the percentage of travelers versus regular customers she gets.
With the new structures mirroring the height of everything else on the street, calculating future patronage per square footage may have already been factored in.
Given the current money/market crunch though, we’ll see how long it takes for anything to actually happen anyway.
I agree, parking had never been an issue at the Esquire. It was always considered a “neighborhood” theatre. Nor would parking have been an issue of a proposed hotel. Nobody drives to the Drake or Soffitel. They are dropped off there.
A hotel would have only increased the drop off traffic directly in front, not the parking. Unless their “new” loading zone stretched the entire span of the Esquire building. Not just the entrance.
Ironically Oak St. parking is more adversely affected by the very stores that paid the city for valet zones.
Meters were removed, in favor of the pay boxes that now encompass the entire street like downtown on Wabash.
What little you can’t squeeze out of the supposed pay box spaces, the valets have blocked up.
Rush Street actually used to consist of 2 way traffic from about Ontario to Cedar, with parking on both sides of Rush up until the very late `70’s.
The city then barred parking from Chestnut to Cedar along Rush, after it was converted to the current One Way traffic. Remember those short lived “No Cruising” signs the city strangely threw up?
Ironically the City of Chicago owned and operated a giant 5 story parking structure with automotive elevators, staff, etc. at the S/E corner of Chestnut & Rush for decades.
Then let it sit empty for another decade. As the old Rush Street slowly lost places with bands & other live “entertainment”, the need for such massive parking dwindled. Plus the city was slowly getting out of the parking biz. They once had lots all over the city.
It would have been neat if Miglin had taken over the Esquire herself. Kept the existing structure, facade & famous marquee. And completely rebuilt the interior as an exclusive mall of sorts. With herself/make-up line as the anchor tenant.
She’d have been a heroine for the architectual ages. Then naming the street after her would have had deeper meaning. Though with the Esquire gone, she probably is now the longest existing tenant on Oak St. Unless I guess Bravco is still there.
As an aside, the Gold Coast Art Fair for years from it’s inception to about `84 or so, was held on Rush St. From Pearson along Rush & Wabash to Cedar.
It was moved from Rush St. to Wells St. near Huron, Superior etc., presumably to appease new art galleries trying to make their area the so called “gallery district”.
The initial new breed of art fair organizers and some at the alderman’s office routinely disputed this characterization.
Saying instead that Rush & Oak St. businesses no longer wanted the art fair in front of their businesses. After all, who doesn’t want captive foot traffic of 500,000+ people for 3 days once a year. Oh, and the air & water show used to be the same weekend as the art fair back then.
So jack that number up as you see fit.
Like the Esquire, the original Gold Coast Art Fairs made the neighborhood a neighborhood. I sold corn on the cob as a kid during the art fairs, out of the old Pour House tavern on Bellevue St. from about 1968 to `74 or something. It then became Moby Nicks, then Kronies, and was recently torn down to build LuxBar. The bars “Irvings?” then Elliot’s Nest, also shared the building’s East half.
Dr. Bop and the Headliners surely, unknowingly early on had captured the essence of John Lauter’s 2004 post.
DB&TH were kind of based out of Chicago by 1987. By that time their stage show included it’s own on-stage bartender. Who would throw full pitchers of beer to the guitarist, who would bat them with his guitar out over the audience.
Drenching everyone like a frat house prank.
They performed on rubber mats, and were supposedly insured by Lloyds Of London due to their antics.
So I could imagine how an earlier, presumably even wilder 1973 show could sadly have set the stage for disregarding the granduer of such a beautiful theater as the Michigan appeared to be.
Of course it would take many acts other than DB&TH over several years, to tear up the surroundings so badly that renovation didn’t seem viable to subsequent owners.
The “cursed rock & roll” our parent’s feared, and the `70’s fight authority/punk mentality I’m sure didn’t help preserve an archaic example of the past. Especially when the then “future generation” could act as they wanted as if it was their own giant rec room.
The Congress and Riviera here in Chicago suffered pretty much the same fate. But both are still currently operating as concert venues, regardless of interior condition. The Congress is much worse for wear though.
P.S. This is in reference to the above `70’s photo posted by BWChicago. The parking lot pictured in the foreground is the former site of a huge Musket & Hendricksons Pharmacy, and now the site of One Mag Mile-retail and condos.
M & H was the anchor tenant on the ground floor of a massive building that burned down in a spectacular fire in 1969 or`70. There was also a furrier who shared the ground level. The fur clad mannequins stood eerily lifeless as the fire raged around them. Similiar to those in the original “Time Machine” film.
The 2nd floor had housed a campaign office for Hubert Humphrey. So it’s no surprise that the Democratic stronghold threw up a painted billboard on the newly exposed wall.
George Dunne’s longtime headquarters was down the street on State at Oak, next to Papa Milanos.
The building that replaced Papa Milanos, Mondellis & the Bang & Olufson store (Old Rush/Oak Market), is almost done.
The old Gino’s Pizza building at Rush & Walton that was being restored, apparently fell or was torn down instead 2 weeks ago.
I was only at the Edens once as I recall. It was in 1985 or so to see FX starring Brian Dennihey. I seem to remember the 60's interior motif as still being somewhat intact.
Foley Cadillac was and still is nearby. It to had a60’s looking round showroom that I think has since been torn down. There is also an old lodge like restaurant/bar known for burgers nearby.
Well, the end of the classic Esquire Theatre structure seems near.
Yesterday I received the regular 42nd Ward e-mail update called “Alderman Reilly Reports”.
In it among other 42nd Ward issues, was the “Esquire Theatre Update”. Basically it says that a redevelopment proposal for the Esquire Theatre that was before the Chicago Plan Commision, was passed on Sept. 18th.
The redevelopment plan consists of 3 new, 2-3 story buildings between 36 & 60 feet in height, with differentiated facades. It will provide 45,000 square feet of retail space. No dwellings. It also praises this plan as being consistent with the existing Oak Street content.
Since there is no further mention of the Esquire Theatre other than the address of 58-104 East Oak, we can assume there is sadly no plan to incorporate any of the existing building or facade into the new plan.
It goes on to laud the achievement of stopping a previous proposal of a 12 story, 158 foot hotel with 24,500 square feet of retail.
Strangely, a hotel development probably could have smartly utilized the vintage Esquire facade in some way. But all those who opposed it are correct about the oversaturation of the area. Congestion on Oak Street being pretty much the worst. I’ve personally witnessed that the valet parking for the oh so trendy stores, has now morphed into a constant, zig-zagging stream of double parked BMW’s & SUV’s. Awaiting their multi-shopping bagged, sun-glass wearing owners on their cells as they board.
So it sounds as if more buildings designed to cleverly emmulate old row houses, is what will stand where the once grand Esquire did for so many years.
No apparent attempt to preserve the facade or signage. Just another part of Chicago history that is carelessly wiped away.
Just did some more rereads of past Wood’s posts. In the 1963 photo Bryan Krefft posted in 2005, the one with the Bob Hope film on the marquee, the Hotel Sherman behind it at Randolph & Clark was actually called the Sherman House. But it was indeed a hotel.
My father played trombone and upright bass there inside it’s club.
Frank Sinatra and many other high profile singers & musicians played there over the years. Probably while their own films were playing the Woods and other theatres downtown.
The State of Illinois building is now on the site where the Sherman House once stood.
If only the Woods could have escaped demolition and been the source of a renovation along with the Selwyn/Michael Tood, to build out the new Goodman Theatre.
It’s ironic that there’s a push to call it all the “Theater District”, when that’s what it always was to begin with, until everything was torn down.
P.S. Heartland Cafe up North used to rent out a VHS of Stony Island, but that was 20 years ago.
I just reread one of Paul E’s 2005 posts about seeing “The Bubble” at the Woods. It triggered my memory that my parents took me and my brother to that film as well. Quite possibly at the Woods. I had nightmares for weeks, as I was all of about 6 at the time.
Imagine 3D horror at that age. Or taking me for that matter.
I remember the zombie like newsman in the film swinging a newspaper 3D style, and just repeating over & over “Paper…Morning Paper”.
Should have charged my father back years later for all the therapy. Ha!
Wow, I never made that connection. Stony Island was great. Somewhere I have a VHS I think I got at Facets.
I know I have the soundtrack LP. Longtime Goodman Theatre/Christmas Carol alum Tom Mula played the undertaker.
Also the father of Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs was somehow involved.
I think a friend of my brothers played bass in it too.
I remember they were able to incorporate some of Richard J. Daley’s funeral into the film. The late Oscar Brown Jr. played an Alderman.
I previously posted on CT’s Sandburg/Playboy Theatre page that I saw Stony Island there then, and Siskel was at the show.
Cool. I guess “Booksellers Row” would have implied more than just one store or something. And Bookman’s Alley was quite the quaint place all by itself.
I can’t remember if the Varsity had fire escapes hung over that same alley or not. Or if they were removed or not during the conversion. If so, even if some portions of the Varsity’s old interior are just encapsulated as previous posts imply, ever converting back to some usable theatre space could be hampered. If the balcony exits are no longer usable or up to code. I’ll take a spin by there soon.
I caught a quick glimpse of the Wapa’s classic Americana exterior in an establishing shot in a show on the Oxygen Network called “Snapped”.
So I just had to see if there was a link on Cinema Treasures. CT’s never let me down.
The Wapa Theatre is apparently located in the hometown of the mom/murder suspect whose story was profiled.
I am pleased to read on CT that the Wapa is currently making another go at remaining open. It’s good to read that even during it’s closure that the owner would “keep the building up and open to suggestions”. A far cry from the too many of which we read about, that just fall into complete disrepair after closure and ultimately are destroyed. Since the Wapa is so clearly incorporated into a building of that size, I’m sure it will be maintained properly as it searches for it’s footing once again.
I’m curious if the interior appears as original as the exterior does. Given the classic vibe the still pictures have. Wonder if they’ve tried the arthouse double bills of classic older films as of yet. Or tried to tie in any theatre anniversary promotions.
To remind local folks that it’s still there through special events advertising, etc.
I wish the Wapa many years of continued, consistent success.
Now if I could just figure out why I was ever watching Oxygen in the first place.
I wanted to add that the GAP was not the first retailer to go into the gutted/“remodeled” Varsity space. The first tenant was a chain record/CD store along the lines of Coconuts or Peaches.
It was there as late as 1990 or early `91.
It was right at the time when new CD’s were being sold in that “long box” packaging format that tried to resemble record albums. A wasteful format that the eco-folks and some prominent musicians quickly fought to eliminate.
I think the GAP only went into the former Varsity space, when/after the old “County Seat” store just a bit further North on the same side of Sherman Ave. finally closed.
After the CD store closed, a similar one just as large if not larger, opened across the street where a CVS is now located. There was a giant, bi-level Barnes & Noble too, which has also since closed on the corner across from & just South of the Varsity.
There was also a tiny vintage book store down the alley and across from the Varsity’s side exit doors. I think it was called Booksellers Row or something.
P.S. I like the 1972 CTA picture of the Vic’s back wall in Bryan’s 2004 post. Complete with Hydra swooping in to attack the Southbound train.
I also just remembered that long time Lincoln Ave. hamburger shop Muskies, had their 2nd location in the corner space just North of the Vic. Where Bank of America is now.
Muskies closed after what else, a fire.
The 400 was another one that in the `80’s had midnight runs of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. I heard from a friend that it was pretty much a free for all, where attendees threw their toast and what not with no apparent intervention by management.
I seem to remember they did get a crack at some pretty good 2nd run films at one time. Maybe even first run since the closest theatre still operating in the 90’s was the Adelphi.
The only film I remember seeing at the 400 was some indie action romp, starring John Matusak formerly of Oakland Raiders and “North Dallas Forty” fame. He died not long after the film was released. So maybe 1988 or so.
The Oasis was/is a 4am tavern just across the street on Sheridan. It was pretty much necessary after that.
I remember seeing “Basic Instinct” at the Webster Place Theatres when it came out. The lines were extremely long. Our goal was to get tickets and go over to Pequods or Flounders until closer to showtime. However the large crowds meant staying there until the next show. Cause they were doing the ropes and head count thing, and not really checking tickets.
There were some protesters on site who were vocally objecting to the film’s depiction of a bisexual female lead played by Sharon Stone, as being prone to violence and a killer.
The heavy press coverage of that distinction likely caused larger crowds to sell out many of the initial showings.
Which in turn caused some of the protestors to essentially be drowned out and basically a non factor to sales, if that was one of their goals.
I’m not sure if Webster had the escalators or not before the remodeling. If so, they were possibly shut off to accomodate the large crowds waiting for the next showings. Because I remember standing for a long period on the stairs. I remember thinking fire code should have an issue with that large of a crowd waiting inside the building, with an already full theatre. And us on the common stairs out.
The last thing I saw recently at Webster Place was “Juno”.
The trick there now is to make sure you park in the correct lot for the theatre, and not the adjacent strip mall lot. Something I did twice, got right, and still don’t know how.
The cost for accidental mall parking was higher than that for the validated theatre parking. A security guard just happened to mention it. The theatre had not. And we again had already secured tickets.
Thanks CinemarkFan for the confirmation. I was pretty sure Drury Lane/WT is where I saw T2. I lived two blocks from there in `91.
The Drury Lane stage theater in Evergreen Park was in a complex called “The Martinique”. The place with the chapel, banquet hall & giant Vegas style signage. Inside the lobby near the theatre entrance was a small rather low `60’s looking bar. With swiveling, high backed vinyl bar stools that were attached to the floor. Pictures of Debbie Reynolds, Robert Goulet etc. adorned the walls.
It was razed to build a WalMart, but not sure if that ever happened.
In addition to Oakbrook, there is also a Drury Lane North in Lincolnshire.
A “theater in the round” as they say, but really it’s a smallish square stage with ascending seats on all four sides. It’s been active for quite sometime, and is part of a hotel complex itself. The theatre is designed for and only suitable for stage plays. Which is as far off topic as I’ll go.
I was just thinking back on how special things were at The Carnegie in the`70’s.
The animated signage I mentioned in a previous post, were actually ornately themed pieces constructed partially over the illuminated portions of the Carnegie’s existing marquee.
For instance during the Chaplin festival’s first film, a giant Chaplin “tramp” character was constructed with electrically moving hips from side to side. Additional spot lights were added to illuminate whatever portions there were made of painted plywood, that didn’t benefit from the existing lighting.
As the film’s changed out, so did the signage designs. Small mobile spotlight trucks seemed almost the norm at times. Making every showing seem as a special event. The oldest advertising gig in the book: Motion turns heads.
The modern glass ticket booth was offset all the way to the left of the entrance, but angled to face slightly Northeast. There was a small office behind it. If I remember correctly, the concession stand was behind the interior side of the ticket booth and accessed by the same office.
Inside the lobby was modern with an orangish decor & possibly brown carpeting. Just inside towards the back of the lobby, there was a sunken lounge area beyond a railing with couches, chairs & lamps. The restrooms were on the North & South sides of that lounge.
The auditorium itself was also sunken to even lower than the lounge level, accessed by long downward ramps at both ends of the lobby as well.
This design allowed it to accomodate the height it needed for one large screen & the audience seating to run upward. Even though the parking garage was directly above, and appeared only one or two short stories up itself from street level out front. The previously mentioned organ was to the left of the screen.
Next door Mister Kelly’s shared facade had round brick windows that housed pictures of the upcoming entertainers. Morey Amsterdam, Mort Sahl, Tim & Tom (Reid & Dreesen), drummer Buddy Rich, other bands, singers etc.
Across Rush street going South from the Bellevue Corner was the original Jay’s, another small bar downstairs in the back, Henry’s florist, the Waterfront restaurant, and the Singapore Room. With a giant vertical sign adorned with climbing, flashing neon monkeys.
This sign could briefly be seen during the open of WGN’s NightBeat newscasts with Marty McNeely, then Jack Taylor.
Then a small parking lot, which seemingly handled a lot more “business” than parking cars. Then was Pat Haran’s (now Jilly’s), the Backroom club (still there), a retail store and of course Rush & Oak corner tenant Burgerville. Which other than “Banquet On A Bun” up the street, was one of the original cheap, late night grease fixes.
At a time when Division Street’s Five Faces was still just an ice cream store.
P.S. Bill Freidkin and William Peterson’s Chicago roots are well documented. So it’s great that they would come back to screen some of their Hollywood projects here first. Hopefully the fairly recent premiere of “The Break Up” here, will reignite that trend.
Greetings. The Water Tower Theatre on the Chestnut Street level side, was indeed originally built for live theatre. The plays “Vanities” & “Evita” with Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin played there around 1981. Also possibly one of the first verions of “Love Letters”.
After that it was coverted to movie screens. I last saw “Kingpin” there when it came out. Possibly “Terminator 2” also.
And of course it is now back to being called Drury Lane, and features live theatre & music. Their one day promotion today was to receive tickets to January’s staging of “Xanadu”, if you were of the first 20 to roller skate up to the box office this morning.
There was another long standing Drury Lane Theatre in Evergreen Park, that did strictly stage shows for decades.
A time warp of a place that felt as if you were walking into a `60’s Las Vegas hotel lobby. It also had a unique wedding chapel & lower level banquet facility. The name of the entire complex escapes me.
It was sadly all torn down several years ago.
FYI. Fox organist Stan Kann has nice obituary in the current Old Cars Weekly magazine written by Gerald Perschbacher.
It mentions his 22 year Fox career, memorial and scholarship fund set up at the theatre.
Also that he later had appeared a record 77 times on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and 89 times on the Mike Douglas Show. “A vacuum cleaner & gadget collector who hilariously fumbled his way into the hearts of millions of Americans”. All of which was after his move to California.
He was also unbeknownst to most people, a car collector.
It further states that he “was hailed as the best known concert organist in North America”.
I forgot to mention that the Aragon had a sister ballroom around 63rd & Cottage Grove, called The Trianon. I’ve seen some interior pics posted around the net before. It was quite opulant with recessed oval lighting, giant lounges and expensive furniture as would be expected of a theatre type space of it’s vintage.
The Trianon was open from the early 20’s until the late
50's. Then left vacant and torn down in the60’s.I think I read that they had certain house rules about chaperones, unaccompanied women and interracial dancing to accomodate changing times.
When I worked at Fanning Cadillac on Broadway & Foster, we had a longtime Balmoral neighborhood greeter of Japanese descent, who said she was barred from patronizing the Aragon Ballroom during and shortly after World War II. Some of her famliy had been interred as well. She was a sweetheart of a lady named Dahli, who had a wealth of knowledge about the Uptown neighborhood. Sadly she passed away maybe ten year ago.
Like the Aragon, the Trianon would sometimes do live radio broadcasts of jazz bands at dance events. Some on WGN, and some later transferred to 78rpm records.
The Mercury has had some extended run live shows as of late. The Buddy Holly Story, Ron Hawking’s Sinatra Tribute, etc. (Urinetown I think was cancelled before it could open.)
That stretch of Southport has a quite active nightlife. There are taverns on either side of the Mercury. Take 5 and an Irish restaurant/tavern called Cullen’s. The latter is actually kind of partially incorporated in/next to the theatre.
To serve the theatre patrons as I remember. They may have a management deal or are/were part owners of the Mercury.
Much like the old Drury Lane on Pearson was to former neighboring nightclub Tamborine, musicians from the Mercury would often play at the neighboring bars on some off nights.
The Buddy Holly Story guys had their own offshoot band doing originals & some covers at Blue Bayou across the street. A buddy of mine ran karaoke at Blue Bayou, and they’d even show up for that after shows or gigs.
I got to catch the Mercedes ad featuring the El Rey this evening. Narrated by none other than “The Waltons” John-Boy, (Richard Thomas).
Plenty of screen time for the El Rey.
I believe the El Rey was also the location for a Cowsills reunion show about 4 or 5 years ago, called “It’s A Family Thing 2”. A benefit show for Bill Cowsill who was then facing some health issues. Before both he and Barry passed away.
It featured Shirley Jones and some of the Bangles. The latter related I believe through marriage to the Cowsills. The first “Family Thing” was a 60’s TV special featuring them, hosted by Buddy Ebson.
Greetings. Both the Aragon and Riviera I’d say are considerably smaller than the Uptown. The Uptown boasted “an acre of seats”. So the stage to accomodate a crowd that big would be quite large.
The load-in I’ve seen most at the Riviera, is through a door on on the Lawrence Avenue side. Semi trucks and/or tour buses usually remain parked on the South side of Lawrence as well.
I think trucks/tour buses are currently barred from the North side of Lawrence, because of an existing CTA bus stop and to insure traffic flow.
Since they’ve done primarily just bands since it stopped showing movies, I’d say no elaborate sets were ever really part of the mix.
The Aragon has an alley between itself and the “L” tracks to the West. I’ve seen that alley blocked off before, but also some obvious band trucks & buses in a small corner lot kitty corner and to the East.
Remember too that the Aragon was a ballroom, not a theater. It has a huge oval like dance floor on the second floor. With a stage on the South end of the building. The seats during the ballroom days were along the sides with tables, and above on balconies overlooking the dance floor.
The first floor is just lobby space, some offices and retail storefronts. Used to contain pool halls & liquor stores etc.
Some concerts I remember in the
70's &80’s at the Aragon, they would set up temporary folding seats over the old ballroom floor, facing the stage. Nugent, Ramones(like you sat for that), Aldo Nova, Cheap Trick, Stray Cats, Rick “Elvis” Saucedo, etc.I don’t know if they bother with any chairs at shows now.
So the load-in for a renovated Uptown beyond just bands again, would take some serious planning. Most likely as I had posted before, somehow incorporating the side street to the West, and possibly making an actual loading dock, out of what used to be an exit with a smaller marquee overhang as I remember.
We hung out Saturday nights in the late `70’s at a place called Fiddler’s Green across the street from the former Ridge Theatre.
There was also a rather small bar next door to the Ridge in 1984-85. Though I don’t recall the name. I think it had then recently converted in to the hardware store. Devon had many bars between Ashland & Broadway back then.
Cuneen’s, COD’s, etc. Dewey’s across from the hardware store parking lot, on the Clark St. side was the better of the late night food emporiums. Dewey’s classic name in the brickwork was covered by an awning a while back.
Correction. The City of Chicago owned/operated parking structure was at the S/E corner of Delaware & Rush. Not Chestnut & Rush. That of course is Quigley North.
I regret this error, and blame it on it being 12:55 am.
I’d venture to say that Marilyn Miglin is likely the most powerful force on Oak St. Even more than Oak Bank.
The street is literally named after her in signage, at the intersection of Oak & Rush. (A Natarus Tradition)
I’m surprised she didn’t just purchase the Esquire herself long ago.
Or help broker whatever she wanted to be there in the first place. Her late husband was a giant in the Chicago real estate world.
But still you’d almost think she would have preferred the hotel concept. Wouldn’t that have just increased her own high end foot traffic? With rich, free spending out of towners mere steps from her door?
Of course the Drake & Soffitel are both within easy walking distance of her shop already. So I’m sure she already knows the percentage of travelers versus regular customers she gets.
With the new structures mirroring the height of everything else on the street, calculating future patronage per square footage may have already been factored in.
Given the current money/market crunch though, we’ll see how long it takes for anything to actually happen anyway.
I agree, parking had never been an issue at the Esquire. It was always considered a “neighborhood” theatre. Nor would parking have been an issue of a proposed hotel. Nobody drives to the Drake or Soffitel. They are dropped off there.
A hotel would have only increased the drop off traffic directly in front, not the parking. Unless their “new” loading zone stretched the entire span of the Esquire building. Not just the entrance.
Ironically Oak St. parking is more adversely affected by the very stores that paid the city for valet zones.
Meters were removed, in favor of the pay boxes that now encompass the entire street like downtown on Wabash.
What little you can’t squeeze out of the supposed pay box spaces, the valets have blocked up.
Rush Street actually used to consist of 2 way traffic from about Ontario to Cedar, with parking on both sides of Rush up until the very late `70’s.
The city then barred parking from Chestnut to Cedar along Rush, after it was converted to the current One Way traffic. Remember those short lived “No Cruising” signs the city strangely threw up?
Ironically the City of Chicago owned and operated a giant 5 story parking structure with automotive elevators, staff, etc. at the S/E corner of Chestnut & Rush for decades.
Then let it sit empty for another decade. As the old Rush Street slowly lost places with bands & other live “entertainment”, the need for such massive parking dwindled. Plus the city was slowly getting out of the parking biz. They once had lots all over the city.
It would have been neat if Miglin had taken over the Esquire herself. Kept the existing structure, facade & famous marquee. And completely rebuilt the interior as an exclusive mall of sorts. With herself/make-up line as the anchor tenant.
She’d have been a heroine for the architectual ages. Then naming the street after her would have had deeper meaning. Though with the Esquire gone, she probably is now the longest existing tenant on Oak St. Unless I guess Bravco is still there.
As an aside, the Gold Coast Art Fair for years from it’s inception to about `84 or so, was held on Rush St. From Pearson along Rush & Wabash to Cedar.
It was moved from Rush St. to Wells St. near Huron, Superior etc., presumably to appease new art galleries trying to make their area the so called “gallery district”.
The initial new breed of art fair organizers and some at the alderman’s office routinely disputed this characterization.
Saying instead that Rush & Oak St. businesses no longer wanted the art fair in front of their businesses. After all, who doesn’t want captive foot traffic of 500,000+ people for 3 days once a year. Oh, and the air & water show used to be the same weekend as the art fair back then.
So jack that number up as you see fit.
Like the Esquire, the original Gold Coast Art Fairs made the neighborhood a neighborhood. I sold corn on the cob as a kid during the art fairs, out of the old Pour House tavern on Bellevue St. from about 1968 to `74 or something. It then became Moby Nicks, then Kronies, and was recently torn down to build LuxBar. The bars “Irvings?” then Elliot’s Nest, also shared the building’s East half.
I just happened across the Antioch Theatre on a website called theshadowlands.
After clicking the “Illinois” link, it had a small blurb that the Antioch theatre is supposedly haunted. No pictures though.
Dr. Bop and the Headliners surely, unknowingly early on had captured the essence of John Lauter’s 2004 post.
DB&TH were kind of based out of Chicago by 1987. By that time their stage show included it’s own on-stage bartender. Who would throw full pitchers of beer to the guitarist, who would bat them with his guitar out over the audience.
Drenching everyone like a frat house prank.
They performed on rubber mats, and were supposedly insured by Lloyds Of London due to their antics.
So I could imagine how an earlier, presumably even wilder 1973 show could sadly have set the stage for disregarding the granduer of such a beautiful theater as the Michigan appeared to be.
Of course it would take many acts other than DB&TH over several years, to tear up the surroundings so badly that renovation didn’t seem viable to subsequent owners.
The “cursed rock & roll” our parent’s feared, and the `70’s fight authority/punk mentality I’m sure didn’t help preserve an archaic example of the past. Especially when the then “future generation” could act as they wanted as if it was their own giant rec room.
The Congress and Riviera here in Chicago suffered pretty much the same fate. But both are still currently operating as concert venues, regardless of interior condition. The Congress is much worse for wear though.
P.S. This is in reference to the above `70’s photo posted by BWChicago. The parking lot pictured in the foreground is the former site of a huge Musket & Hendricksons Pharmacy, and now the site of One Mag Mile-retail and condos.
M & H was the anchor tenant on the ground floor of a massive building that burned down in a spectacular fire in 1969 or`70. There was also a furrier who shared the ground level. The fur clad mannequins stood eerily lifeless as the fire raged around them. Similiar to those in the original “Time Machine” film.
The 2nd floor had housed a campaign office for Hubert Humphrey. So it’s no surprise that the Democratic stronghold threw up a painted billboard on the newly exposed wall.
George Dunne’s longtime headquarters was down the street on State at Oak, next to Papa Milanos.
The building that replaced Papa Milanos, Mondellis & the Bang & Olufson store (Old Rush/Oak Market), is almost done.
The old Gino’s Pizza building at Rush & Walton that was being restored, apparently fell or was torn down instead 2 weeks ago.
I was only at the Edens once as I recall. It was in 1985 or so to see FX starring Brian Dennihey. I seem to remember the
60's interior motif as still being somewhat intact. Foley Cadillac was and still is nearby. It to had a60’s looking round showroom that I think has since been torn down. There is also an old lodge like restaurant/bar known for burgers nearby.Well, the end of the classic Esquire Theatre structure seems near.
Yesterday I received the regular 42nd Ward e-mail update called “Alderman Reilly Reports”.
In it among other 42nd Ward issues, was the “Esquire Theatre Update”. Basically it says that a redevelopment proposal for the Esquire Theatre that was before the Chicago Plan Commision, was passed on Sept. 18th.
The redevelopment plan consists of 3 new, 2-3 story buildings between 36 & 60 feet in height, with differentiated facades. It will provide 45,000 square feet of retail space. No dwellings. It also praises this plan as being consistent with the existing Oak Street content.
Since there is no further mention of the Esquire Theatre other than the address of 58-104 East Oak, we can assume there is sadly no plan to incorporate any of the existing building or facade into the new plan.
It goes on to laud the achievement of stopping a previous proposal of a 12 story, 158 foot hotel with 24,500 square feet of retail.
Strangely, a hotel development probably could have smartly utilized the vintage Esquire facade in some way. But all those who opposed it are correct about the oversaturation of the area. Congestion on Oak Street being pretty much the worst. I’ve personally witnessed that the valet parking for the oh so trendy stores, has now morphed into a constant, zig-zagging stream of double parked BMW’s & SUV’s. Awaiting their multi-shopping bagged, sun-glass wearing owners on their cells as they board.
So it sounds as if more buildings designed to cleverly emmulate old row houses, is what will stand where the once grand Esquire did for so many years.
No apparent attempt to preserve the facade or signage. Just another part of Chicago history that is carelessly wiped away.