The late Granada theatre was truly a gem. I grew up in Rogers Park in the 1950’s and 60’s and “lived” there every Saturday during the summers for the Children’s Matinee, where the lower floor was packed. A great baby sitter for parents from 9:00am to 11:00am. Sometimes my friends and I would sneak up to the balcony and hide so we could see the regular features afterward. A friend’s older brother was an usher there and he took us on a tour of the basement and behind the screen, which the organ pipes were located. Does anyone remember waiting in line and getting pop corn from the little restaurant a couple doors north of the entrance? The popper was in the window and in the summer the restaurant door was open and the aroma of fresh pop corn was sooo inticing It was cheaper than in the theatre and we had to sneak it in, as the ushers would not let us in with it ‘cuz they wanted us to buy pop corn and candy from the theatre. The price was twenty-five or fifty cents in the early years to get a ticket.
Anyway, the real reason the Granada is gone is because Loyola University had originally planned to create land fill on the lake to add to the campus, in conjunction with a city project to extend the Lake Shore Drive to Howard Street, but when the city’s plan fell through, Loyola instead bought up property on Winthrop and Kenmore AND the Granada theatre building. The paperwork to register the Granada as a National Landmark was being processed when Loyola convinced the city to allow the sale. The theatre was in great shape at the end, just a little run down. The last movie event I saw was the Three Stooges festival in the late 1970’s and she looked great. The memories are quite vivid to this day and the old girl will be missed.
Speaking of theatres in Rogers Park, in the late 1950’s there were two I recall being open; One on Morse Avenue, just east of the “L” on the north side of the street. I believe the building is referred to now as Cobler’s and the second is on Devon just east of Clark, now the Clark-Devon Hardware. I live in Miami now and came across this website by accident and found it interesting as I looked at the theatres I went to that, unfortunately, are mostly closed or gone. Of course the grand ladies were the Granada, the Century and the Uptown, with the Adelphi as a special place with the “star” ceiling. Is the Uptown still being considered for opening again? With the neighborhood upgrading, the theatre would be a grand addition back in business.
The 400 Theatre has special memories for me. During the early to mid 1960’s an annual Halloween party was held, where a Master of Ceremonies tossed candy to the kids all dressed in costume, a Best Costume award was given, followed by a “scary” movie, such as Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula or an Abbott and Costello fright/comedy film. I also worked there (age 14-15) on school weekends and during the summer restocking the Concession stand and general cleanup duties. I would let my friends in through the door behind the screen (on the Columbia street side) and we sneak in during the movie. Of course, the double wide seats were great for dates and I had my first kiss there at age 13. I lived on Columbia just up the street and worked at Frankfort’s Drug Store as a delivery boy and stock boy. Next to the theatre was a club called the Pink Fink, where the cleaners is located now. There was a barber shop on the other side, which later became a head shop. I worked there, too. A great theatre, indeed.
The late Granada theatre was truly a gem. I grew up in Rogers Park in the 1950’s and 60’s and “lived” there every Saturday during the summers for the Children’s Matinee, where the lower floor was packed. A great baby sitter for parents from 9:00am to 11:00am. Sometimes my friends and I would sneak up to the balcony and hide so we could see the regular features afterward. A friend’s older brother was an usher there and he took us on a tour of the basement and behind the screen, which the organ pipes were located. Does anyone remember waiting in line and getting pop corn from the little restaurant a couple doors north of the entrance? The popper was in the window and in the summer the restaurant door was open and the aroma of fresh pop corn was sooo inticing It was cheaper than in the theatre and we had to sneak it in, as the ushers would not let us in with it ‘cuz they wanted us to buy pop corn and candy from the theatre. The price was twenty-five or fifty cents in the early years to get a ticket.
Anyway, the real reason the Granada is gone is because Loyola University had originally planned to create land fill on the lake to add to the campus, in conjunction with a city project to extend the Lake Shore Drive to Howard Street, but when the city’s plan fell through, Loyola instead bought up property on Winthrop and Kenmore AND the Granada theatre building. The paperwork to register the Granada as a National Landmark was being processed when Loyola convinced the city to allow the sale. The theatre was in great shape at the end, just a little run down. The last movie event I saw was the Three Stooges festival in the late 1970’s and she looked great. The memories are quite vivid to this day and the old girl will be missed.
Speaking of theatres in Rogers Park, in the late 1950’s there were two I recall being open; One on Morse Avenue, just east of the “L” on the north side of the street. I believe the building is referred to now as Cobler’s and the second is on Devon just east of Clark, now the Clark-Devon Hardware. I live in Miami now and came across this website by accident and found it interesting as I looked at the theatres I went to that, unfortunately, are mostly closed or gone. Of course the grand ladies were the Granada, the Century and the Uptown, with the Adelphi as a special place with the “star” ceiling. Is the Uptown still being considered for opening again? With the neighborhood upgrading, the theatre would be a grand addition back in business.
The 400 Theatre has special memories for me. During the early to mid 1960’s an annual Halloween party was held, where a Master of Ceremonies tossed candy to the kids all dressed in costume, a Best Costume award was given, followed by a “scary” movie, such as Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula or an Abbott and Costello fright/comedy film. I also worked there (age 14-15) on school weekends and during the summer restocking the Concession stand and general cleanup duties. I would let my friends in through the door behind the screen (on the Columbia street side) and we sneak in during the movie. Of course, the double wide seats were great for dates and I had my first kiss there at age 13. I lived on Columbia just up the street and worked at Frankfort’s Drug Store as a delivery boy and stock boy. Next to the theatre was a club called the Pink Fink, where the cleaners is located now. There was a barber shop on the other side, which later became a head shop. I worked there, too. A great theatre, indeed.