Piper's Alley Theatre
1608 N. Wells Street,
Chicago,
IL
60614
1608 N. Wells Street,
Chicago,
IL
60614
8 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: AMC Theatres, Loews Cineplex, Sony Theatres
Firms: Gelick Foran Associates
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jul 26, 2014 — Second City taking on Piper's Alley
The Piper’s Alley movie theater located inside the mall of the same name. It opened in the trendy Old Town neighborhood May 24, 1991 and has four screens. The Piper’s Alley, originally operated by Sony Theatres, then became a Loews Cineplex theater. The Piper’s Alley screened mainly independent films. Inside the same mall is the legendary Second City Theatre, as well as a smaller Second City stage, called Second City, Etc.
Interestingly, the entrance to the Second City on N. Wells Street uses a large fragment of the facade of the long-razed Garrick Theatre from the Loop, designed by Louis H. Sullivan. Another part of the entrance parodies the Garrick facade, which depicts busts of famous Germans (the Garrick was originally the Schiller Theatre), showing famous members of the Second City company from the past.
Last operated by AMC Theatres, it was still a popular movie house, though the Piper’s Alley began to show its age. It was closed on May 27, 2011.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 46 comments)
The story also made the local NBC news last night. But being it’s only a 20 year old theater, they couldn’t really pump up the history any.
As I mentioned before, as vibrant as that area still is, there is no reason a well run operation can’t create as well as fill the need. With 4 screens they could split the fare with 1st & art house films. Just needs a lot of freshening up, and a new attitude.
AMC does it again. They starved another theater that they had no use for into oblivion. They took out the Esquire and now the Pipers Alley, and I guess the Norridge is next on the hit list. Just like the Esquire….. they stocked it with films nobody wanted to see and then the revenues dropped to the point where they have enough leeway to be rid of the property. Shame on you AMC.
Hopefully another chain will take over like The Picture Show Entertainment, Classic Cinemas or Regal Entertainment. One time they were showing classic films (like the 600 North Michigan) and movies just out of first-run theatres.
There are rumblings. http://chicago.racked.com/archives/2011/06/02/whats-playing-at-pipers-alley-this-weekend-nothing-is-a-new-theater-looking-at-the-space.php
Had to do a double take tonight, while driving by Piper’s Alley Theatre. The marquee was fully on, with most of it’s moving lights in tact. Yet as we know, no movie names, just blank spaces. It appears Piper’s Alley is just using the marquee as a way to attract attention to the other businesses within the complex.
The marquee could still be on a timer and it just automatically goes on and off.
Is anything happening with this theater?
The Second City is expanding into the theater space, using most of it for their training programs. DNAInfo Chicago story here.
May 24, 1991 grand opening ad in the photo section.
My photo was actually taken on July 17, 2021.