Hub Theater

Hey, JClaudio, I used to work with you at the Cinema Theatre. I hope all is well with you. Mr. U. passed away in May, 2004. If you know anyone with money let’s restore and re-open the Village Theatre. Maybe we could go across the street and grab the old Cinema marquee from the Chicago History Museum. Send me a message at If you noticed, I’m paying tribute to Oscar Brotman (1915-1994) with my e-mail address. He was Chicago’s last showman. I hope to hear from you soon. Take care.—-Tim O'Neill

Here’s a picture from yesterday.

View link

So the Hub theatre continued to operate into the mid 70s, possibly to 1980 or beyond? And the Alvin, Armitage, Royal, and others? Once these theatres disappeared from the movie listings in the early 70s, I assumed they were closed for good. Glad to know they flourished- at least for a while-as Spanish language theatres. Thanks for the information, Bryan.

The Hub Theater is listed in a 12/1/74 article in the Chicago Tribune about the Spanish-language movie houses of Chicago.

The HUB had one of those big long “It’s Air Conditioned COLD Inside!"
banner signs out in front I remember. I had no problems with this place the few times I attended early ‘60s, but somehow the ALVIN a block or so east on Chicago usually got my business. The unused old elevated track structure for the (now) long-gone 'Paulina St L’ used to crossover Chicago Ave just a couple doors east of the HUB.

Here is a recent photo of the Hub Theater building.

I was born in 1952 and remember the HUB Theater very well. Every Sunday my four sisters and I spent the afternoon there to give my parents a break. The floors were always sticky with chewing gum and the theater permeated like popcorn Heaven! As kids we thought we could get away with something without our parents but the HUB had ushers in uniforms with big flashlights and they acted like the secret police (maybe they were Catholic nuns in disquise, I don’t know)! Anyone caught talking or goofing off got escorted out the door so we learned quickly to behave ourselves. Next door was Bravermans and their hamburgers were about a pound each. I especially loved the ones that were smothered in onions. Yes! Those were the good old days!

The Hub was a small neighborhood theatre that played mostly triple features. It had a three change a week policy. The Hub had a boxy marquee; no lines for the film titles. Instead, facing east and west, in big letters: H U B in orange neon against a green background. To the left of the “H”, in black painted letters pointed up on a 45 degree angle, were the words MATINEE DAILY. The lobby was quite small- similar to the Parkway theatre (long, but not very deep). The candy counter was to the right as you entered the door. The auditorium had off white walls with a light green tinge, as I recall. It was very soothing. My first trip to the Hub was in 1966 or ‘67. Even though I lived far away and didn’t have a car, couldn’t resist “BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA” plus “JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER”. The Hub seemed to be one of the few theatres to show this double feature.If memory serves, the Hub (and the Alvin theatre, located less than two blocks east) closed around 1969- maybe 1970. However, after many years, the Hub actually reopened (around late 1988?), showing double features changed weekly(similar to the Logan theatre at the time). In April 1989 I saw “THE NAKED GUN” ; in June of 1990 saw “THE FIRST POWER”. The theatre had not changed all that much. But, business was not too good; I think by late 1990 (early '91) the Hub closed for good.

A photo of the former Hub Theatre can be seen at www.jazzagechicago.com Click on “Movie Theaters”, the “Smaller Surviving Neighborhood Movie Theaters”.