Teatro del Lago
1515 Sheridan Road,
Wilmette,
IL
60091
1515 Sheridan Road,
Wilmette,
IL
60091
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Commonwealth Amusement Corp., Suburban Theatres
Architects: Edwin H. Clark
Styles: Spanish Colonial
Previous Names: Teatro
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The Teatro del Lago, opened in 1927, as part of the Spanish Court retail complex along Sheridan Road in what was then known as “No Man’s Land”, a triangular area between the North Shore suburbs of Wilmette and Kenilworth. (The area was finally annexed by Wilmette after much debate in 1942).
Both the theatre and surrounding structures of the Spanish Court were built in Spanish Colonial style, including red tile roofs and buff stucco facades. The theatre was equipped with a Kimball 2 manual 10 ranks organ.
The Teatro was closed in September 1965 and was demolished in early-1966. A Jewel Food Store built on part of the site. The shopping center was remodeled and renamed the Plaza del Lago in 1967.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 53 comments)
From a Chicago Tribune article dated 11/1/64:
The Teatro theater in Wilmette will be razed in February, said its new owner Plato Foufas.
If anyone care to see anuy photos of the Teatro, I short a number in the late 50 and early 60s, inlcuding Stan Pratt, Sam Meyers, and the lonel;y painting of Rock Hudson hanging in the attic. Contact me at:
I have found memories of listening to 45’s in the booths at Paul’s Record Shop. I was only 10 when we moved from Robsart Road which was across the street (closed off at 10th street). The Teatro was an unforgetable structure. I agree with other poster genky that the area was a paradise for kids. I remember riding our bikes at age 8, 9 and 10 all over town. We moved east in 1965 so I wasn’t there for it’s demolition.
Just posted a new photo for this theater of a lobby card from 1933. Not sure what to do with it so I posted it here.
I am a big fan of the the theatre pipe organ. The Teatro Kimball organ was the first pipe organ I ever saw “in the flesh.” I have fond memories of listening and seeing the organ while my brother and a few others played it. It wasn’t a fancy organ, but there is always a special place in one’s heart for the first. I believe that Jim Walgreen removed the organ. I had recently seen pictures of it in the home of the owner at the time, which seemed like somewhere in the upper mid west. It was for sale at the time, but I don’t know what happened to it since then.
I added a 1939 photo and 1929 announcement to the Photos Section. Here also is an expandable Flickr link with a 1962 Tribune history of the Teatro Del Lago. Copy & Paste.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsdportland/8128359672/in/set-72157631861798209
November 1964 photo added, photo credit John McDonough. Photo and other memorabilia added courtesy of the Wilmette Historical Museum. Items are on display there.
The property is now up for sale.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20170717/CRED03/170719883
In 1945 this area was still being referred to as “No Man’s Land” in newspaper ads for this theatre. You can see this in the ad I posted in the “Photos” section.
Plaza Del Lago recently sold for $48 million.
https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/¼/16850310/spanish-style-1920s-shopping-mall-sells-48-million