Armitage Theatre
3553 W. Armitage Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
3553 W. Armitage Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
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The Armitage was a 950-seat theater located on Armitage Avenue between Drake and Central Park Avenues in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Originally, it was named the Avenue.
The Armitage operated at least into the 1980’s before it closed. It last served as a Spanish-language movie house. Today, at least a portion of the former theater building houses a dollar store.
Contributed by
Ray Martinez
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
I think it lasted into the 80’s…pretty sure I remember the ads in the paper. The building stood at least until the end of the 80’s, and appeared to have been upgraded with a new exterior (in the 80’s from the looks). When I last saw the place around ‘89 the lobby was being used for storage. The auditorium still stood, and was probably being used in the same manner. All the store fronts were occupied. I took photographs at that time, which were later donated to THS. Are we sure this one is gone? The fact that someone invested in it makes me wonder if at least part of it is still there.
This is what I found on the Cook County Assessor’s site for that address (well, it shows 3555 W. Armitage, not 3553). I first thought the building was a new-ish strip mall but I see the building’s age is shown as 97 years. I wonder if it’s a conversion of the old theater building?
That photo posted by the Assessor’s Office is of the Armitage Theater building, with the modernized exterior. You see that raised portion to the left of the Dollar Day? That is the entrance to the theater lobby (or at least was when I saw the building in ‘89). Looks safe to say that this one is still around, at least in some form.
The ARMITAGE Theatre auditorium (exterior) today is very readily identifiable, if one but looks from the DRAKE Ave side there.
This was a favorite childhood haunt of mine, and I recall the Sat. matinee kiddie contests mentioned above. The kind of place one went to for Jerry Lewis or Japanese monster movies. The screen unfortunately showed the usual signs of juvenile abuse.
My guess is that although the auditorium’s used as warehouse/ storage, there’s still a lot of (old) theatre inside of it even now. I say this because I was able to take a peek myself not too many years ago.
NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Daily News, Thursday, October 7, 1954, p. 53, c. 1:
Retreat From TV Ending: CLOSED MOVIES TO REOPEN
by Sam Lesner
Four of Chicago’s closed movie houses are reopening!
The Essex theater, Sheridan rd. near Lake Shore dr., closed for two years, reopens Friday with the widely acclaimed French-Italian omnibus film, “The Seven Deadly Sins.”
The Calo Theater, 5406 N. Clark, another victim of the theater-devouring TV giant, will be reopened Oct. 22, with Jack Webb’s “Dragnet,” the first feature length film version of Webb’s TV program which was No. 1 in the Hooper ratings for September. (Isn’t that poetic justice, or something?)
The 400 theater, another North Side film house that has been dark for some time, is being remodeled for a new lease on its former movie life.
The Armitage, 3545-51, also an early TV victim, is being remodeled for an early reopening—-as a film house, of course.
I stopped here the other night while travelling through the neighborhood. It still looks the same as it did the last time I saw it in the late 80’s. The only difference is that the lobby isn’t open anymore. In the late 80’s they were using the lobby for storage, and both high ceiling and original tile floor were visible. Now there is a drop ceiling and floor coverings for retail use. Hard to say what is left of the auditorium at this point. But the shell is definitely still there, albeit with a large rolling steel door punched in the side facing the alley.
A building permit shows Alexander Levy as the architect for a building here built in 1911. I think that the lobby may have been a 1911 nickelodeon that was then converted when the larger auditorium was added.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings dated Sat. Oct. 16, 1965: ARMITAGE 3553 Armitage -Open 1:00 1st RUN CHICAGO “ROBOT vs. AZTEC MUMMY” – “VAMPIRE’S COFFIN” -BEATLES “GO-GO MANIA” Plus FRANKENSTEIN- DRACULA & Others IN Person TONIGHT AT 7:45. The two horror films were also playing at the Imperial theatre on Madison St.(DRACULA AND THE MONSTERS ONE SHOW ONLY AT 4:30 P.M.) and at the Irving theatre(Irving and Pulaski) SEE DRACULA -FRANKENSTEIN-THE FACELESS CHILLER- ALL IN PERSON AT 7:00 P.M. ONLY! I guess the monsters…er, actors- went from one theatre to another putting on a stage show. Never experienced it, but I bet it was fun…a more innocent time. A less innocent time- on Friday, Sept. 4, 1970- the Armitage had turned to adult films. From the movie listings: ARMITAGE ADULT THEATRE Open 6 P.M. NEW POLICY- Exciting Films at Chicago’s LOWEST ADULT THEATRE PRICES “MOONSHINE LOVE” “Beast That Killed Women”. Not sure how long this policy lasted, but I suspect the Armitage closed by the early 70s.
In a 12/1/74 Chicago Tribune article on Chicago’s Spanish-language movie theaters, this theater is listed as the Teatro Armitage.
I remember the armitage back in the 79,,80,,81,, it was the closest to my house me and a friend use to go watch these goofy martial arts ,,movies ,,after sitting thru the features ,,i had to walk home with this nut constantly ,throwing kicks and karate punches at me ,,matt