Mode Theatre
3912 N. Sheridan Road,
Chicago,
IL
60613
3912 N. Sheridan Road,
Chicago,
IL
60613
5 people
favorited this theater
Opened as the Keystone Theatre in 1913, this theater was located in the Lakeview neighborhood, on N. Sheridan Road near W. Dakin Street. It was operated by the Essaness circuit in its early years.
In 1935, after an Art Deco remodeling, the theater was renamed the Mode Theatre. Around the mid-to-late-1960’s, the theater was renamed the Teatro Puerto Rico, showing Spanish-language films. In 1969, the theater was renamed again, as the Festival Theatre, which was originally an art house cinema, but by the early-1970’s, had begun to show pornographic films. The Festival Theatre closed in 1983.
The former theater, after housing a grocery store for years, was demolished in early-2005. A new building has been constructed on the site with a bank on the street level and condominiums on the upper floors.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 78 comments)
Was this theatre by the Riveiera theatre?
No. The Riviera is off of Lawrence & Broadway.
If you check the address the Mode was on Sheridan Rd., just South of the Sheridan Red Line elevated stop & Irving Park Rd.
It later was the Festival Theater, which ran XXX films & some live performances.
To charles 1954: in one of your posts way back in 2005, you wished to see a flyer from the Mode. I found one- got some copies made. Looks like it’s from 1959, maybe 1960. Hopefully you will see this post, and, if you wish, I can send it to you via snail mail. Feel free to e mail me with your address, or, next time you visit Chicago, let me know. A guarantee- you will get a kick out of it. ~Ken.
To KenC,
I am interested in a copy of your Mode flyer. I grew up a few block from the theater in the 1950’s and early 60’s. Great memories. Mom world give me and my brother 27 cents and send us to the Mode. 17 cents for admission and 10 cents for popcorn. That was in the early to mid 50’s. I grew up in Buena Park on Buena where it meets Kenmore, right next door to Rowland Funeral home and across the street from St. Mary’s of the Lake and what we referred to as “The Little Park.” “The Big Park” was down by Wilson & Lake Shore Drive.
If you’re interested I have a picture of the Mode from 1937 that I can have a print made. It was actually from an ad in the Architectural Record from 1937. Thanks.
Hi Larry- send me an e-mail by clicking my name. We can work it out, and yes, I’d be interested in that picture from 1937. The Mode always had low prices- I remember paying 55 cents even into the 1960s for some great…and some silly- triple features. In the flyer, you will see not only a number of movies advertised, but also about 11 neighborhood merchants , each with a small blurb; for example :“Prescriptions Our Specialty” STRATFORD REXALL DRUG STORE 4129 SHERIDAN Open 8 A.M. to 11 P.M. Phone GRaceland 2-3656 For Fast & Cheerful Delivery Drugs- Liquors – Luncheonette. (ring a bell?)
Hi Ken!
I just now discovered your Oct. 6 2010 comment (shouldn’t I have been automatically notified!?) How EXCITING! The prospect of getting a MODE flyer from 1959 / 1960!
Glad to hear that there is advertising for local neighbourhood merchants too! I used to get my flyers at Danny Schwab’s HOT DOG HAVEN on the corner of Sheridan and Damen(?). I’m such a collector – why I didn’t save a MODE flyer is beyond me!?
Please send me the flyer I will reimburse you for your expenidture! Thanks so much!
Hi Larry!
Did you go to St. Mary of the Lake too?!?!
No, I went to Stockton School at Montrose & Beacon, but I had friends that went to St. Mary’s. I went on to Senn High School & graduated in 1964.
View of the Mode from the 1930s: Mode Theater.
1937- ten years before I was born, that vertical sign with the accent on the “e” looks exactly the same as I recall it from 1957 to about 1968, when the neon was removed and the theatre became the PUERTO RICO. The letters were hand painted, and the black background was turned white or light yellow. Saw “GOLDFINGER” in English- with Spanish subtitles- to a near empty auditorium. Thanks for posting, Compass.