Marbro Theatre

I am going to ask some people who know all about the internet, not me
I am new at all this, and see if I can somehow post my picture of the Alex on this site. Maybe you can use it in your report. It certainly wasn’t one of the palaces, but it did serve the community well and was well attended as I recall.

You are sure on target Anita when you talk about the real estate agents. We started getting “flyers” in the mail as eary as 1955 telling us to sell before everything comes crashing down. I am sure they made a fortune on scaring people and businesses. If we all held on, maybe we could have prevented it from moving so fast. But everybody on my block were moving up to the North Side of Chicago and my family didn’t want to be left out. I remeber seeing all these moving vans week after week. I am not surprised the neighbood never re-built. No money, the city is dead broke. Maybe Rahm has new ideas. We’ll have to wait. We switched to going to the State Theater on Sundays because afterwards, we always went to Ray Foley’s for dinner. My mother loved the Prime Rib, as I did and their wonderful
horseradish. I loved the red booths. We were regulars when they moved north at Touhy & Lincoln. The State Theatre is long gone, but the building where Ray Foley’s was still stands as a reminder of better times.. I feel like I just met an old friend Anita!

Absolutely Bobby. It was a shame that the neighborhood deteriorated. I know my parents invested in Purcell Hall and other church ventures to try and keep people from leaving. But the unscrupulous real estate agents known as blockbusters spread fear and distrust and people and businesses fled in droves. I think we were some of the last to move, largely because the family business was dissolved and the business sold. They tried to get my Dad to buy it back, but he never really worked in the business and was not interested in starting. His aunt and uncle moved on to manage Ray Foley’s.

I am still surprised the neighborhood was never rebuilt and I dream of the day when I hear that urban renewal reaches the West Side.

We were magical people and we still are because we remember the days of glory.

Do you remember that Goldblatt’s sold pets like small monkeys. I will never forget when my brother and sister climbed out of the stroller when my Mom was talking to a friend and let the monkeys and birds and anything else in a cage loose. My Mother beat it out of the store fast.

Since we lived on the third story we used to climb over the railing onto the rooftop of the restaurant and run along the roofs on Madison Street. The merchants, like the folks in Red Goose shoes, would come out and yell, “Hey you kids, get off the roof.” We had the best time growing up there. We were so sad to leave it but the family business was sold and my Dad was transferred to another firehouse from the one at Fulton and Kilpatrick. He worked on his days off at Bantam Books and when Bantam moved from the Chicago River to Des Plaines, we moved to the northwest side to be closer to my Dad’s work and to my then new high school, Mother Guerin. Both my Mom’s and Dad’s relatives all lived on the West Side. My parents went to St. Mel’s. They started dating in High School and were married at St. Mel’s Church. We have a long family history there. Too bad my parents were never into taking pictures. My Mom would take some pictures and throw them into a box. I wish we had some photos of the old neighborhood now.

Does anyone remember Mayblossom McDonald’s Dance Studio. I took ballet lessons there when I was a tiny tot.

Anita, What a memory!! I had forgot half the names you mentioned. But I remember them all. Loved the Martinique and the green river shakes and the Dutch Mill candy stores and the dime stores and the opening of Goldblatt’s and all the personal appearences. This was a kid’s paradise. Couldn’t wait to get up in the morning to head down there!~I know you are giving Scrabble and many of us a thrill!

Wecome Anita to our blog!! Your restaurant was across the atreet form the Marbro and a block down. It might still be there. When Scott or someone else reads this, I am sure they will help you. I know if you go to Madison Crawford or East Garfield Pk, you can take a photo tour of the street today. I bet we ate in your restaurant many times. I bet Scrabble would remember. I am looking for a color photo of the Marbro marquee myself. I too had relatives at St.Mel’s.

I did note that some of the information on the pdf map listed above is not exactly correct. ConEd was on the corner of the 4200 Block of Madison Street, A&P across the street. Solick’s was at 4205-4207 Madison Street. My Dad lived in the same apartments above the restaurant. His Grandfather started the restaurant. Remember Ebert’s Studio, Personnel Liquors, Gibbons O'Keefe funeral parlor, Elite’s, Schlosser’s? What a great neighborhood it was.

Loved all the theaters on the West Side. Am looking for any photos of the neighborhood from Garfield Park to Austin.

I am writing a series of short stories about growing up in the neighborhood and am trying to find photos of Solick’s, my family’s restaurant at 4207 Madison Street. I lived in the apartments above the restaurant.

My parents and grandparents were West Siders. They attended St. Mel’s and Providence. I went to St. Mel’s Grammar School. It was a magical place to grow up and we miss it everyday.

Reading these posts brings back fond memories.

Anita Solick Oswald

I just met someone and we were talking about the Madison Crawford shopping district. He told me he took his date to the Marbro Theatre for a matinee and after the movie they went to The Three Sister’s store on the corner of Madison/Crawford and bought her a pink angora sweater. They have been married for 60 years. Longer than the Marbro Theatre existed!!

Thanks TheatreOrgan for the link. Great pix!

For those theatre organ fans of the Marbro Wurlitzer, there are approximately 5 to 6 negatives for sale presently on ebay, supposedly of this Marbo organ, during its removal from the theatre in 1959. There are three negatives of the console, one of the bottom of the organ lift pit, and some from a pipe chamber. If interested, type in www.ebay.com then enter the following item number in the search box, which will take you to one of the negatives. From there, you can search for the others. The item number is: 330520706101.

Scott, I made it to the Coronado Theater Sat morn. What a GEM as you said. It reminded me of a smaller Atlanta Fox with all the courtyards lit up. It was in excellent condition and the organ sounded wonderful. What a thrill you must have had watching movies there. Almost like the Marbro as far as ornate surroundings are concerned.