The original Port Theatre was located on the North side of Main Street between 1st and 2nd Streets, and opened on July 25th,1936.
Grand Opening ad and a 1939 photo of that Port Theatre added to the gallery.
According to the below Chicago Tribune article (added to the gallery plus 2 more), it opened as the Bijou Theatre in July 1971 as a 77 seat screening room by Sean O'Conner, the former assistant manager of the Aardvark Theatre which had had a fire confirmed as 1971 as well.
Richard Nixon’s 1952 “Checkers Speech” was the opening film.
This Facebook post has a 1951 print ad and 1930s photo of the Mt. Morris Theatre in the comments.
One comment also says one of the last film to debut there was “King Creole” in July 1958, so it was in operation until at least then.
Based on the photo posted directly above by kencmcintyre on March 22, 2010, there was a second smaller one story Capitol Theatre at 929 Atlantic Avenue which is still standing. The two buildings to it’s right are also still standing in the October 2019 street view. However it is not the same Capitol Theatre pictured above the Overview, which is clearly a two story structure whose address we still don’t know.
Though I’ve found a reference to a Capitol Theatre at 827 Atlantic Avenue, which was likely this larger one.
As that address is just as close to the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Atlantic Avenue as the small Capitol Theatre in the 2010 linked photo.
If the city is paying $375K for demolition of a one story commercial building they are either getting ripped off, or they inflated it so the former owner gets paid his half of that as the article states.
The national average for tearing down a commercial building is $4-$8 a square foot, and decreases as the square footage goes up.
The Campus 4 Cinemas square footage is 15,200.
Even at $10 a square foot factoring in hazardous materials removal etc., it would/should still be less than half that cost.
The original Port Theatre was located on the North side of Main Street between 1st and 2nd Streets, and opened on July 25th,1936. Grand Opening ad and a 1939 photo of that Port Theatre added to the gallery.
March 2021 street view shows it as being vacant, with THIS PLACE MATTERS on the marquee.
Current article that says the solar company looking to buy the land has backed off.
https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/carbon-county/mahoning-drive-in-theater-saved-in-one-day/523-f8e615ee-1b2f-49f2-a896-db6a17345a9a?fbclid=IwAR120tInN2tCHt70CvlBurlZPIKX0HhJ1n7PZ-DlGkxGC3VUeCnZKMzhcgM
According to the below Chicago Tribune article (added to the gallery plus 2 more), it opened as the Bijou Theatre in July 1971 as a 77 seat screening room by Sean O'Conner, the former assistant manager of the Aardvark Theatre which had had a fire confirmed as 1971 as well. Richard Nixon’s 1952 “Checkers Speech” was the opening film.
https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/clip/81412540/chicago-tribune/?fbclid=IwAR2k0Upm1QtPtPtzVpfv73o0uvu4b-5ln_djuzOHqKNdhGYXExbA0X28tLw
Double Door is still happening. Photo links within article.
https://www.uptownupdate.com/2021/07/double-your-pleasure-double-your-fun.html?fbclid=IwAR0f1AT7CcQXnWL-86HuMf-a0uQ50pfmhz-wAg4-UToBrziCA96DpMrnW2c
Some 1996 Library of Congress photos.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.il0807.photos?st=gallery
Closed in 1988 per the below article, which says the Utah Theatre is in danger of demolition and being replaced by a residential tower project.
https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/utah-theater-residential-tower-proposal-at-planning-commission-for-design-review/?fbclid=IwAR2TTn8o-OxEghvA2W2KvfdrxwJDWOkgZ06of2RP-uYdnklG-Qqbt_cZHQw
12/29/86 photo credit Kevin Mueller.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/4212012761/in/photostream/
12/29/86 photo credit Kevin Mueller.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/4212014009?fbclid=IwAR3Pt2Ygi_lhOLV4U7qPZmBRbs5J77N8ouwWmZXYXE-abOxmWN-DLEt4JnM
Go Fund Me for the facade & marquee.
https://www.mahoningmatters.com/local-news/want-to-help-fund-a-facelift-for-the-foster-theatre-heres-how-you-can-chip-in-3937211?fbclid=IwAR2soq2FnZc9RanXdpPEZIGn2XHa_S5tqgeCy6E0O9npZH6xP0tlltQLPJA
Set to reopen Labor Day Weekend.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/renovate-des-plaines-theater-set-to-re-open-labor-day-weekend/?fbclid=IwAR1A3bc_en-RWKTYUTCLcDDQqu6SsPKKf6C9bedx_bnEKQTrzZQJB3oGI0U
1961 marquee photo added credit Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Courtesy Retro Houston.
“The Singing Marine” was released July 3, 1937, so likely first run.
Thank you. I reached out to the Facebook author for larger versions of his images, but have not heard back yet.
Is the Budget Suites no longer on that site? Everything comes up as that being it’s address.
This Facebook post has a 1951 print ad and 1930s photo of the Mt. Morris Theatre in the comments. One comment also says one of the last film to debut there was “King Creole” in July 1958, so it was in operation until at least then.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3780516761994839&set=gm.3563224957087090
The Uploaded date is the actual date of the photo, and on all related photos.
Disregard the Taken on: date.
The above 2018 date is correct.
1990 Suicidal Tendencies album “Light Camera Revolution” cover utilizing the Vista Theatre marquee.
https://www.discogs.com/Suicidal-Tendencies-Lights-Camera-Revolution/master/18733
“Quentin Tarantino Says He Bought L.A.’s Vista Theatre”
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/quentin-tarantino-buys-vista-theatre-los-angeles-1235011904/?fbclid=IwAR0M0S-qBZo8uEDxyy1jk6k7libgoXxHRYmP8eyMRDHaYnVNxmz3MusBKYA
Address shows as 852 N. Clark in the print ad in the 2011 comment, and 854 N. Clark in the print ad in the gallery.
Varsity has been given landmarks status and is undergoing a 3 million dollar renovation.
https://www.kcci.com/article/varsity-theater-snookies-malt-shop-sign-given-landmark-status/36880662
Ha, right your are. Here is the real update on the update.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/06/29/with-new-developer-on-board-long-vacant-congress-theater-could-reopen-in-2023/?fbclid=IwAR1ubtkpTCopRVIkKHejTSKKdSGrLecmm5Y7Og5JcRdDm-Cv4Mf2t69ua4I
Based on the photo posted directly above by kencmcintyre on March 22, 2010, there was a second smaller one story Capitol Theatre at 929 Atlantic Avenue which is still standing. The two buildings to it’s right are also still standing in the October 2019 street view. However it is not the same Capitol Theatre pictured above the Overview, which is clearly a two story structure whose address we still don’t know. Though I’ve found a reference to a Capitol Theatre at 827 Atlantic Avenue, which was likely this larger one. As that address is just as close to the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Atlantic Avenue as the small Capitol Theatre in the 2010 linked photo.
If the city is paying $375K for demolition of a one story commercial building they are either getting ripped off, or they inflated it so the former owner gets paid his half of that as the article states. The national average for tearing down a commercial building is $4-$8 a square foot, and decreases as the square footage goes up. The Campus 4 Cinemas square footage is 15,200. Even at $10 a square foot factoring in hazardous materials removal etc., it would/should still be less than half that cost.