Mode Theatre

It was kind of scary going into the Mode Theater building when it was in the final stages of demolition, but I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. There was not much left by the time I got in there to take the photos. I wanted to try to remove the top of the remaining column, but there was no way I could get to it without making a public spectacle of myself.

I spent a lot of time in the Sheridan Theater, the summer that it was torn down, and it was an amazing experience. I was able to get quite a lot of plaster and terra-cotta goodies (the pieces that Architectural Artifacts left behind). It still makes me sad every time I drive down Sheridan and see the Ruth Shermer retirement building (that is what was built on the site).

I added a few more Mode Theater demolition photos to the file, so check them out. The link is two posts above this one.

Scott- thanks for the photos. In picture #5, the name Mode- in silver letters against a black background- is just the way I remember it from the late 1950s through the 60s. Directly below the name was a series of 5 or 6…maybe 7- mostly glass entrance doors. They were quite narrow. I’m surprised the name Mode stayed up there through the decades…1968- 69, the Puerto Rico theatre, the 70s- the Festival, the 80s and 90s-a grocery store…all the way to the very end. Another observation: those pink columns in one of the photos does not ring a bell with me. Either my memory is bad, or one of the new owners painted it. The colors I remember inside the theatre were light yellow, off white, and black. Anyway, thanks again for the memories.

Charles-I have a vague rememberance of candy machines located across from aisle 2(the double doors).Cashews, M&Ms,and other candy for a nickel. The water fountain was in that general area. But I have no memory of candy machines between the washrooms, and since I was a popcorn and Coke kind of guy, didn’t buy much candy. No idea what that chewy candy was. A few other memories of the Mode : the auditorium doors were black. The public telephone was located on the south wall of the theatre, almost directly across from the ticket taker, who was positioned just east of the concession stand. If you made a phone call, and looked to your right, you could see the narrow staircase leading to the projection booth. The Mode’s phone number was BU 1-9506. Yes, that number is burned into my brain…saw it many times on the weekly flyers.

Brian-the alterations were few. I remember in 1963 or 64, they removed (or covered up) the 4 line marquee with a huge painted sign stating…NEW MODE Theatre DOORS OPEN 12 NOON DAILY. The name MODE was splashed across the sign from left to right. New owners/ operators, I presume…before that ,the Mode opened at 5p.m. weekdays, 1p.m. Sat. Sun. and holidays. That new policy didn’t seem to last very long. Also, they soon returned to the 4 line marquee.In 1968…1969, when the Mode became the Puerto Rico, the orange neon was gone, the name PUERTO RICO was painted on the vertical black background. I remember seeing “GOLDFINGER” in English…with Spanish subtitles. Around 1970, another name change…FESTIVAL was hand painted(each letter in a different color)against a light yellow or light gold background. It looked gaudy. On top of the vertical sign,one big light bulb ,facing down, with a cover on top, was installed to illuminate the sign at night. Through the years, the boxoffice and the tiles behind and to the sides of the theatre sign remained the same. Going back to 1957 or ‘58, I remember standing outside the Mode- between the boxoffice and the front doors- looking at posters for “FIRE MADIENS OF OUTER SPACE"and "BRIDE OF THE MONSTER”. It was early evening. Looking up, there was a big circle with lines radiating out to the boxoffice.It was in bright orange neon…just like the letters on the vertical sign. I think that was removed by the early to mid 60s. Above the entrance doors, in silver block letters, was the name Mode. In the photo with “INTERNATIONAL HOUSE” on the marquee, you can see what looks like “lobby cards” (14 by 11 inches) on the walls directly across from the boxoffice. From 1957-on , I’m sure they were moved more to the left and right. In other words, they were facing more to the street rather than the boxoffice. The lobby cards were under glass; NOT under glass was a series of 3-(28 by 22) movie posters against a wooden and steel holder, pretty much parallel to the boxoffice. Just west of these posters, before you got to the entrance doors, was another series of 3 movie posters on both sides of the wall. They WERE under glass. In my post of 3-31-05, I mentioned 3 or 4 aisles. Pretty sure there were three aisles: Aisle 1, right off the concession stand- and NO door!, the middle aisle with double doors, and aisle 3 at the far west of the theatre. Just outside aisle 3 was the ladies room; to the left of the ladies room was the mens washroom( in the southwest corner of the buiding).Similar in size to the Wilmette theatre washroom…maybe a little bigger, but not much. One more memory of the Mode -trivial, but what the heck- the ticket takers stand…where he dropped the stubs…was maroon in color.

How was it altered for the later incarnations of the theater?

I now have high-quality exteriors from the 1930s including a photo of ‘before’. They are on the link immediately above. wow!

Send me an email- you can get my address by clicking my name – and i’ll send it to you.

Hi Brian, that’s very interesting! I would love to see that! I’ve often sketched Sheridan Roadas I remember it, from the Mode to the corner of Irving Park where the Rexal used to be. But I’m not an artist and it’s reealy not worth viewing. I remember each and every house though: Mode, Raggedy Ann, Hot Dog Haven, barber Shop, butcher Shop, my home, the “L” station, grocery store, Burny Brothers Bakery, Restaurant, Currency Exchange, coffee shop, drug store…did I forget something?

Hi! I wonder if anyone has historic exterior views of the Mode or maybe even pictures of the lobby amnong their family photos? The grocery store that Brian mentions in his comment was called Raggedy Ann – I used to buy Taffy Apples there on the way home from the movies in the early 60’s. The early chain groceries were often named after children’s stories. Other examples are Piggly Wiggly and Treasure Island.

Here is a photoset depicting the last months and demolition of the Mode'

Hello,
I am a current resident of the area and have always been fascinated with the theater building. I once went into the building when it was a grocery store and had a chance to visit the upstairs area. (I knew a person who worked there). Behind the manager’s office there was a stairway leading up to the second floor. I could easily see the remnants of a balcony wall. However, as I recall the balcony ran North South. The new floor area in front of the balcony was used as storage for boxes. I believe that a rather large collection of movie posters and small pamphelts were discovered and saved from the balcony area. They perhaps dated from the 30’s? I am currently working on a book on the history of the Lakeview neighborhood and I would like to include infomation on the Keystone Theater. If you have any photos I could examin that would be wonderful.

Hi Brian Wolf!
I would be very interested in seeing the photos you took of the demoliton of the Mode. My e-mail address is .de
I can’t believe that I just barely missed seeing the Mode again by a mere 5 months! I’ll be in Chicago in September.

I have photos chronicling the demolition of the Mode. Email me if you want them.