Esquire Theater
1324 S. MacArthur Boulevard,
Springfield,
IL
62704
1324 S. MacArthur Boulevard,
Springfield,
IL
62704
1 person
favorited this theater
The Esquire Theater was last operated by Kerasotes Theatres until its closure in 2004. It was previously part of the Frisina Amusement Co. chain for many years.
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Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Here is a 1949 and a 2006 photo of the Esquire Theater.
From illinois.times.com:
BEST TREE (NOT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY OR IN A CEMETERY)
The elm on South State Street
When Dutch elm disease swept the country soon after World War II, city crews removed more than 5,000 of Springfield’s elm trees in a week. Only a handful survived. The grandest one by far dominates the back yard of a home in the 1400 block of South State Street. City arborist Mike Dirksen estimates the 90-year-old landmark at 100 feet high with a spread of 125 feet across three city lots. The best place to admire it from is the parking lot of the former Esquire Theater. This brings to mind another close call for the tree: In the late 1980s, the Esquire’s owners tried to buy the 1400 block of South State to expand the theater’s parking lot. We miss the theater, but not that idea.
The Esquire Theater actually closed September 25, 2003. This is from a Kerasotes Theatres press release.
“Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, LLC announces the Grand Opening of the ShowPlace West 12 in Springfield, Illinois on Friday, September 26. ShowPlace West 12 is located just off Wabash Avenue, one mile West of Veterans Parkway. The theatre will offer a full slate of the latest first-run films and features stadium seating and digital sound in every auditorium.
The ShowPlace theatre located in the Capital City Shopping Center will be renamed ShowPlace East 8 beginning Friday, September 26, 2003. The Showplace East 8 and Parkway Pointe will continue to run first-run full price films, and the White Oaks Cinema will begin offering discounted second-run films on Friday, September 26. The Esquire Theatre‘s last day of operation will be Thursday, September 25. Parkway Pointe Theatre will be the new home for the ongoing art, alternative and specialized film series".
When I worked here in 74 it was a “tri-plex.” Those were big names in those days.
I amsorry to hear of the demise of the esquire.I was the mgr of this fine theatre for 2 years from'75-‘77. there were a lot of fine shows exhibted during that time,but oddly my favorite is “Monty Python and The Holy Grail.
I almost forgot,even ‘though I mentioned monty python,we also were showing about the same time One flew over the cookoos nestand did a sneak preview for the omen.
In looking at the photo the marquee shows it to be a four screen. The header needs to be updated to 4 screens.