Colony Theater & Cocktails
4506 Forest Avenue,
East St. Louis,
IL
62204
4506 Forest Avenue,
East St. Louis,
IL
62204
4 people
favorited this theater
Operated as an adult movie theater, the Colony 2 Theater had 3-screens and was reported as being closed around 2009.
However by January 2010, it is open, now with 4-screens as the Colony Theatre & Cocktails. One of the screens is for couples only. The cinema opens Wednesday 10am-6pm, Thursday 10am-12am. There is also a cocktail lounge which opens at 8pm. On Friday’s and Saturdays, the cinema operates from 10am-2am. If you pay to get in the lounge, the couples theatre and lounge are open until 3am.
Contributed by
Bryan & Ken
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Opened as the Waverly, on the corner of 40th & Waverly with the entrance on Waverly. Renamed the 40th St. with the entrance moved to the 40th Street side. Then when it was renamed the Colony it was regular neighborhood theatre showing regular features. Later the Colony on a single screen showing porn and then split into three screens showing porn with the entrance on the parking lot side giving the address the 4506 Forest Ave. You can still see the hatchet job on the front of the theatre where the old entrance was. The porno that is shown now is all video. The building was painted a really putrid green the last time we went past there. They at one time adertised in the St. Louis Post Dispath for the Colony and XXX rated films.
So, this is the missing Colony Theater. Okay, Waverly Theater then 40th St. Theater and last but not least, Colony Theater. Is there any chance that this theater opened as the Colony Theater, went through two name changes and finally reverted back to Colony Theater? The reason that I ask is, I found an E.S.L. theater listing and it shows a Colony Theater operating in 1921. If you want to see it, I’ll email it to you. For now, the settings above should be:
Colony Theater aka Waverly Theater aka 40th St. Theater
Status-Open
3 Screens
Address changed to 4506 Forest Ave.
Function-Adult Movies
Lost, I am not sure if it opened as the Colony, but I do remember as a teenager dating a girl in East St. Louis and going to the Colony to see “A Summer Place”. It was a really nice theatre at the time. I remember the name of the theatre in Neon along the upper portion of the theatre in cursive. It was pink neon on a white backround but I don’t remember any style as far as the exterior was concerned. I do remember the seats once you sat down they would tilt forward and the back would go back a little. Don’t remember the theatre at that time as much as I do the date. Later married her.
When you were a teenager, did movies have sound? :) Check your mail for the theater list.
This theatre is still in operation and yes LM it still has sound.
Excuse me for interjecting:
I would hope the “contributors” realize we are talking about two seperate theatres here.
The original Colony (also known as the Waverly and the 40th Street) was located at the intersection of 40th & Waverly—4000 Waverly or 1854 N. 40th Street). This structure, the Colony, dated from 1958, replacing the original Waverly/40th Street which was destroyed by fire in 1945. This theatre went porno in 1974, much to the consternation of East St. Louis city officials.
In 1991, another “theatre” was opened, known as Colony 2, this at 4500 North Forest Avenue. Since porno was socially acceptable by this time, no ruckus was made by officials.
Oops…Colony 2 at 4500 Forest Avenue, not North Forest Avenue.
Oops # 2…new theatre at 40th & Waverly opened in 1948, not 1958.
The Colony # 2 (at 4500 Forest) is closed; date of closure not known. The facility is to be auctioned by St. Clair County.
And, contrary to a book on Illinois theatres, the original Colony (at 40th & Waverly) is still standing…unused since 1992.
what is this theater all about?? i was told that anything goes in there while watchin porn and all that.. is this true?? first i’ve heard of this place and thought hmm i m gonna look it up online and see what it’s all about. can someone tell me what goes on there and what it is all about. just curious.. thanks