Coronet Theatre

817 Chicago Avenue,
Evanston, IL 60202

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: ABC Theatres, Balaban & Katz Corp., Plitt Theatres

Architects: Hal Pereira, William L. Pereira

Firms: Pereira and Pereira

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Triangle Theatre, Park Theatre, New Main Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Evanston artist Ron Crawford's painting of the Coronet that hangs in Dave's Italian Kitchen.

Originally opened in 1915 as the Triangle Theatre, it was re-named Park Theatre in the 1920’s and the New Main Theatre in 1928. The theatre became part of the Balaban & Katz chain in 1936 and was remodeled by the firm of Pereira & Pereira. It was renamed the Coronet Theatre February 19, 1937. The Coronet Theatre was one of the smaller of Evanston’s movie theatres, which included, among others, the Varsity Theatre, the Valencia Theatre, and the Stadium Theatre (later renamed the Evanston Theatre).

This Art Deco style movie house sat just over 800, and remained a first-run theatre for decades, before it began to decline in the 1970’s, due to the abundance of larger multiplexes opening up in neighboring Chicago and nearby suburbs.

It closed as a movie theatre in 1984 and was later used on and off as a concert venue, but was closed in the late-1990’s, and demolished in 2000.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 33 comments)

Broan
Broan on August 1, 2013 at 10:24 pm

Here is a brief view of the Coronet in a Drivers Ed video, as found by David Zornig

dvarapala
dvarapala on June 13, 2014 at 9:20 pm

A glimpse of the Coronet is visible in the background of this painting by Walter Burt Adams.

Leestreet
Leestreet on November 6, 2015 at 4:44 pm

We are selling the Coronet Marquee, that was used before it was demolished. We am hoping to sell it to a collector. Contact me for information. Rosa

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 6, 2015 at 4:59 pm

If I e-mail you, can you supply marquee photos I can upload to this page?

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 23, 2016 at 8:28 pm

Incredible 1938 photo added courtesy of Sherry Drew. It shows the original Coronet marquee after the renaming. The W.C. Fields film showing was originally released in 1934.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 11, 2016 at 3:39 am

This opened as Coronet on February 19th, 1937. Its grand opening ad in the photo section.

Broan
Broan on April 15, 2017 at 2:39 pm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mss2400/33923347596/in/pool-464579@N20

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on April 15, 2017 at 4:21 pm

Broan’s link goes to a photo of the Granada. I think this might be the photo he intended to link to.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 5, 2018 at 7:16 pm

1979 photo added credit Dale Wickum.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 2, 2021 at 8:38 pm

The Coronet marquee was at Architectural Artifacts in this photo dated July 13, 2016.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zol87/28529626285?fbclid=IwAR3b_1UL-uH8cnhN2y4jLtSApgddWhZr0k01omcQFjJuWIwcPpgGgc3mFOE

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