Times Theatre
226 N. Main Street,
Rockford,
IL
61104
226 N. Main Street,
Rockford,
IL
61104
7 people
favorited this theater
Opened in 1938, the former Times Theatre was most recently used as a bar and restaurant.
Contributed by
Paul Salley
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Recent comments (view all 31 comments)
Head on view of the marquee.
View link
Nice photos.
Any information on what is happening on the building?
In response to the last post about what is happening with the building…..The Times Theater was purchased a few years ago by a local investment group heavily involved with the revitalization efforts of downtown Rockford. Let me repeat, DOWNTOWN ROCKFORD, NOT I-90 ROCKFORD!
While the group is a for-profit organization, of greater importance than turning a profit is making downtown a safe, viable entertainment destination for not only Rockford, but Winnebago County and the surrounding areas as well.
How is this going to happen? That is the $64,000 question that is being worked on at the moment. The owners are concerned and deadicated businessmen, not renovators, and realize the need to collaborate with experts in this arena as well as area stakeholders.
After completion of due diligence, the owners will decide on a course of action best suited to activate the theater. These options range from establishing a public/private partnership, establishing a for-profit investment group to activate the theater, or selling the theater to a like-minded individual or group better suited to maximize the value of the theater for the community.
Thank you to everyone with a concerned interest on what becomes of the Times.
This opened on March 31st, 1939. I uploaded the grand opening ad here.
Mike, unless this house sat dark for a full year after being completed, you’re a year late on the opening date. Architect Edward Paul Lewin wrote a three-page article about the Times Theatre for Boxoffice, which appeared in the issue of April 30, 1938. It has several photos of the theater.
The January 8 issue of Boxoffice the same year had another article about the project, also penned by Lewin, which featured some of his renderings of the design.
I double checked the newspaper page and it is from March 31st, 1938.
Looking for Architectural and Engineering Drawings for this building. City hall does not have them. Anyone know any archive that may have a copy? Is there a historical society in Rockford that may have a copy.
In the late 70’s, when Plitt Theatres installed a new concession stand at the River Oaks 2-3 in Calumet City, they moved the old stand to the Times. This theatre had also been reseated with Massey Astro-Rocker seating (probably also removed from another location).
Photos I took of the Times Theater on 12/1/12 can be seen here and here.