Hawthorn Theaters

295 Center Drive,
Vernon Hills, IL 60061

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Cineplex Odeon, Plitt Theatres

Firms: Finck, Stowell & Frolichstein

Previous Names: Hawthorn 1-2-3-4

Nearby Theaters

Hawthorn Theaters

This quad was located at the Hawthorn Center Mall in Vernon Hills and was opened by Plitt Theatres on December 18, 1977. It was later run by Cineplex Odeon who closed it in July 1998. It was converted into a nightclub which operated for a couple of years. The former theater building was demolished in 2001 and replaced by a “big box”-style Babies-R-Us store.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

Jazzbo13
Jazzbo13 on November 27, 2004 at 1:26 pm

Wow! How times change. I went on countless dates to this theater starting in 1980 (The Blues Brothers) and into the mid 80’s and now, it’s gone.

Jazzbo13
Jazzbo13 on November 27, 2004 at 1:31 pm

Wait, I just remembered seeing Star Wars at this theater on Christmas night 1977 with my family.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 14, 2009 at 4:32 pm

This was one of at least four 1970s multi-screen theaters designed for Plitt Theatres by the Chicago architectural firm of Finck, Stowell & Frolichstein. The others were:

Cherryvale Mall Cinema, Rockford, Illinois.

Orland Square Cinemas, Orland Park, Illinois.

Fox Valley Theatres, Aurora, Illinois.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 10, 2009 at 11:40 am

Here is a July 1982 ad from the Daily Herald:
http://tinyurl.com/r48p5r

Broan
Broan on March 29, 2011 at 11:31 pm

The Hawthorn and Fox Valley opened simultaneously on December 18, 1977. They closed in July 1998.

orsonwellescinema
orsonwellescinema on October 19, 2012 at 7:36 am

Saw so many great films here. Alien, E.T., 1941, Return of the Jedi on opening day, Temple of Doom, Ordinary People, Twilight Zone: The Movie… even Battlestar Galactica in sensurround!

orsonwellescinema
orsonwellescinema on October 19, 2012 at 7:40 am

And Poltergeist. Can’t forget that. Many a time did I meet friends here. It was definitely a place to be. It had a really long concession stand that covered almost the whole front foyer. There was also a small video game arcade on the west side of the foyer.

orsonwellescinema
orsonwellescinema on October 19, 2012 at 7:49 am

The big theater in the building was cinema 1, on the west side of the building. It was pretty big. I’d guess more than 500 seats. The two middle theaters were real boxy rectangles – nothing special at all. The theater on the east side of the building wasn’t, as I recall, as large as the left-side theater, but it was an ok showplace. I will say that sometimes the sound from the theaters on the other side of the walls drifted over. The screens also had curtains that opened and closed before every show.

orsonwellescinema
orsonwellescinema on October 19, 2012 at 7:52 am

And the decor was brown and maroon. Lots of dark red, the curtains in particular.

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