Grove Theatre
127 S. Grove Avenue,
Elgin,
IL
60120
127 S. Grove Avenue,
Elgin,
IL
60120
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Elgin’s first silent movie house, the Grove, opened in 1920. It remained in operation until 1976, when competition from new mall multiplexes nearby, as well as a general decline in Elgin’s downtown, led to the Grove’s being shuttered. A similar fate met the Crocker, not far from the Grove, a few years later, after that movie house spent its final years screening Spanish-language features.
After sitting vacant for almost two decades, the former theater was converted into a Prairie Rock Brewing Company restaurant and microbrewery in 1995, which operated until around 2003. The building then stood empty and was demolished in 2011.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
The Grove, Elgin was operated by Great States Theatres of Chicago, Illinois until its final three years under the banner of Henry Plitt theatres.
It was a single screen theatre with all seats on one floor. Total seating was 897. Mono sound only. 35mm only. Was considered a “shooting gallery” by Chicago film-row.
Rich Peterson
Manager 1968 – 1973
Seating capacity for the Grove Theatre was 897.
A Barton theater organ size 2/3 was installed in the Grove Theater in 1921.
Here is a picture of the Grove Theatre is it looks today:
View link
Website for the brewery:
http://www.prairierockbrewingcompany.com/
1982 Photo
The information here is not correct. Though is currently stands empty, it has gone through several renovations and re-purposed first as a restaurant,then in 2010 as a performance venue. It has not been demolished.