Aardvark Cinematheque

The Aardvark was a very small theatre located at 1608 N. Wells, very close to where the Pipers Alley theatre now stands. My memories of the place are vague: a bare bones auditorium with wooden floors and not many seats (150-200?) It reminded me of a small barn, yet comfortable enough. Before the feature started, an announcement was made over the PA: "The smoking of ANYTHING in this theatre is illegal". This always got laughs, since the neighborhood (Old Town) was a magnet for young people- hippies, longhairs, and various radicals. The Aardvark played first run single features; off beat films most other theatres wouldn't touch. In 1968 saw Andy Warhol's "FLESH", later that same year "LONESOME COWBOYS". In the early 70's, "PINK FLAMINGOS" had a rather lengthy run. The features would play from late morning through the evening, admission was $1.75.

I read in a book today that the Aardvark was originally held in Poor Richard's, an old town establishment, and later operated out of the Second City space on off-nights

I remember seeing the art film YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT here around 1969 and recall the Aardvark became a prono movie house before it closed.

The Aardvark was actually known as the Aardvark-Termite Twin. This was back when Wells Street was considered somewhere between "funky" and "tacky". Unlike today in which it is now yuppified. A wax museum also was located on Wells Street. Piper's Alley (no, not the Loews theatre) was considered kind of funky too.

This place we had no business being in. We were borderline teenagers, and you had to cut through all the head shops & such to get to the entrance.
I think the only film we ever saw here was "The Twelve Chairs" with Ron Moody.
I particularly remember a glass blowing shop that made vases & stuff right inside the windows. Pipers Alley was basically set off of the street, and wound around in a kind of bricklined indoor setting. Across the street was The Earl Of Old Town, a bar that Belushi & Akroyd supposedly bought into, so they'd have a place to party. Maybe after last call at Jeff's Laff Inn down the street, across from Martingales. There was also a Lum's diner across from Pipers Alley. Now a Boston Market. Down from the Old Town Ale House. Which is still there, and exactly the same Minus the smoke.

We worked part time a few blocks away at a small stage theatre called the Old Town Players. Just North of North Ave, on North Park St. It itself had been built inside of an old church. If the building is still there, it's likely condos & worth millions. There was an old horse then cab barn across from that.

Wells St. in the `60's & `70's was legendary. I'm glad we weren't old enough to partake in all it had to offer.

David, let me just say, you're doing a phenomenal job fleshing out a lot of these theaters. Keep it up!

Thanks BWChicago for the encouraging words. I thought it might be helpful to add that one entrance to Pipers Alley which housed the Aardvark, is where the Starbucks is today at North & Wells. To the South of Second City.
The building in between was a restaurant called That Steak Joynt. Classier inside than it sounded.
I think it was owned by a guy named Joe Segal, who possibly also owned the original Jazz Showcase on Grand.
I think this is now a cafe featuring a Mexican cuisine. Orato or something?

Pipers Alley was kind of a cluster of buildings and gangways that with the indoor shops and Aardvark, had more than one entrance & exit. There were some storefronts and an old German shot & a beer type bar on the North Ave. side, that considered themselves part of Pipers Alley too. After it was all torn down, the first anchor, corner tenant in the new building was an Arby's. That is where the Starbucks is today.

In late 1974 I started high school at St. Michaels up the street at North & Hudson. Now condos.
But it closed in my sophomore year. The public alternative was Cooley High on Division & Sedgwick by an Oscar Meyer plant. But it's days were numbered too. I think they had finished the film there about the same time, and that was the end of it.

I read on Cinema Treasures that the interior theatre fight scene in Cooley High was filmed at The Adelphi in Rogers Park.

Next to Lum's(Boston Market) in what is now a parking lot, was an old building identical to the one that is still standing just South of the lot.

In the `70's it was briefly a House of Horrors with frightening creatures painted fluorescent colors bathed in blacklight, in all the different arched windows. It was last some type of Opera themed restaurant when it burned maybe 15-20 years ago. Across from that on the East side was the famous head shop Bizarre Bizzare.
A giant U shaped bonanza of pipes, papers, candles, posters, purses, etc. I'm pretty sure it's the Honda store locale now. Or maybe breifly Harley or an ad agency. Guess BB did more damage by just walking in that I had thought.

The building previously mentioned in the Aardvark posts that housed the wax museum further South on the East side of Wells, is still there & has been long vacant. It has a wooden front and the faint, visile outline of it's own old marquee. There was a giant log or utility pole laying inside the window last I looked.
It was called the Royal London Wax Museum when it was open. A friend of mine disputes the location, but it seem geographically correct to me. In relation to Gaslight Court. A once mini version of Pipers Alley, now appearing private.

Across from that was the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.

The Bijou Theatre & the Up Down Tobacco Shop are easily Wells Streets oldest businesses. With The Fireplace Inn maybe coming in third. With basement tavern Hobos now gone in place of something called "S". How trendy. The Up Down though was originally across the street from it's current home, and in a basement.

The Bijou was in the news about 15 years ago or so, when a would be bomber apparently, accidentally detonated himself in his own car before reaching that which was his alleged, intended target.
The papers somehow connected the Bijou either by default, or in a move to connect the bombing to it's 40 year racy subject matter or something.

My brother reminded me yesterday that next to the Aardvark Theatre inside of Piper's Alley, was a place called Charley's General Store. It might have been bi-level inside.
It started out as a kind of kitchy, country-like antique store of sorts, but ultimately became a bit of a head shop itself. Probably because the existing head shop in Piper's Alley was seeing all the business.

The Earl of Old Town I mentioned earlier is where Corcoran's is located now. After a brief run in the `90's when it was known as The Last Act.
A name chosen likely to tie itself to the Second City across the street.
And maybe in honor of Belushi and all who frequented it after work.

As the Earl, it was famous for having such folk stars as Bonnie Kolac etc. during it's heydey in the `60's.

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I was just reminded by a childhood friend, that we exited this theater quite quickly on one occasion.
Apparently with the head shops in such close proximity, their customers took the path of least resistance as to where to "light up" & test out their purchases.
The Aardvark was indeed that cheap, sparsely occupied, quite handy locale.
Since the films were often avant garde, it would go virtually unchecked.

This just reminds me of when Piper's Alley was actually an alley.