LaGrange Theatre

I remember when they first split the theater - they just split it straight in half and for a time the seats were still pointed at an angle as if the wall down the middle wasn’t there. My wife and I had our first date here - “The Sure Thing” - she was and still is 36 years later.

I worked there as well as an usher from 1977 through 1981 with a break in between, so I know some of the other folks here who have posted. I have a lot of those same late ‘70s memories as they do, as well as sitting in the off-limits balcony with Ms. Velus during breaks, the 6-12 shift, double shifts on Saturday, the dollar eighty-five-and-a-half cents an hour sub-minimum wage, climbing to the roof after work at night with Olympia beer and looking at the Chicago skyline, getting Chinese food for the projectionist Joe Montana (went to a few Sox games with that guy, cool dude).

Also, hearing war stories from crusty old Jack the ticket taker about the public buses on Cermak, closing up at midnight with all of 3 patrons in the 1400+ seat floor, $1.25 popcorn buckets, tall boys coolin' in the ice maker, ice cream sandwiches, memorizing all the lines to “Rocky”, “Heaven Can Wait”, “The Sentinel” and all the other long runners, watching Botes change the marquee letters with his ladder on Thursday nights, the guys (Flynn, Barry, Horner, Liming, Robinson, Havey 1, Havey 2, Havey 3, King, the dude that liked Rush, Frank with the fast cars that also worked at a service station), the ladies (Jones, McAvinchey, Mendolia, Wall, Hayden, Pliml, Hudrlick, Reetz, Powers, Lewis, Velus 1, Velus 2, Comstock), the Jones-King wedding at the Congregational Church across the street (usher marries candy girl, alert the media).

Let’s not forget Mrs. Brewer - she sold tickets and performed Assistant Manager duties for God knows how many years, even since I was very young. She used to ‘card’ me when I was 11 since I was tall, and she thought I should pay the adult price of $1.25 instead of 75 cents. She lived behind the theater in one of those apartment buildings on Madison, so many nights after midnight, I would walk her to her door after the theater closed, so she’d get home safe. I didn’t appreciate her Southern drawl at the time, but since I live down South now, I miss it!

It’s been closed for quite some time because of COVID. No word on when it’s going to re-open.

The theater reopened on May 26th with 3 screens and 3 more screens under construction.

This theater is open and now has six screens. Saw a movie here (on Screen #6) a couple weeks ago and was amazed at how great the building looks. Even the small auditoriums have large screens with great sound systems.