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Classic Cinemas takes over North Riverside
posted by
CatherineDiMartino
on
October 21, 2008 at 9:45 am
NORTH RIVERSIDE, IL — In what can be only perceived as good news, Classic Cinemas has taken over the North Riverside Theatre in North Riverside Mall from Village Theaters. Classic Cinemas, a chain well-regarded on this site, will re-open the cinema on October 24, 2008 after doing some renovations. The renovations will include a new box office, remodeled rest rooms, and a new concession stand.
The North Riverside was opened in 1990 by Cineplex-Odeon and overshadowed the nearby General Cinemas' Harlem-Cermak Theatre, causing it to close. In 1998, the North Riverside became a Loews' Theatre because of the Loews-Cineplex Merger. When Loews merged with AMC in 2006, the theatre briefly became an AMC Theatre, but soon was taken over by Village Entertainment. AMC was forced to divest some cinemas because of the merger.
Village Entertainment tried to establish itself as a local chain in the Chicagoland Area, but has had a troubled history. At one time or another, Village operated the Biograph, Bloomingdale Court, Burnham Plaza, the Fox Valley, the Glenwood, the Golf Glen, the Hinsdale, the Lakehurst, the Lincoln Village, the North Riverside, the Stratford Square, the Village, and the Village North. Most of these cinemas have since closed.
Comments (5)
It’s too bad they are going to throw money at this place. It’s just going to be torn up within a month by the bangers that destroyed it and DROVE away the customers before.They are better off using the money to light a cigar.
You might be right. But these Classic Cinemas guys are also pretty sharp. It might all work out better than you expect.
Classic Cinemas (along with Kerasotes and Cinemark) knows how to run its theaters better than Village Theatres. Classic Cinemas is also doing some renovations at the Lake Theatre in Oak Park . The Bloomingdale Theatres and the Lincoln Village are now runned by FunAsia showing Bollywood films along with Hollywood films. The Stratford Square reopened in June 29, 2007 by Century/Cinemark (as a 16-screen theatre) with the first theatre to go all-digital before the Muvico Rosemont opened in September 2007.
jimpiscitelli,
So is Village Entertainment now officially out of business? Their website has not been updated since July. And I called the Village North and the recording now says the theatres name is “Visionary Theatres”.
Wow. Village North’s got a new owner. I must say, it will probably become a better place because of it.
Of note, I am not connected to “Visionary Theatres”. I have a name for my up-and coming chain (hopefully sometime next year), but I want it to be a suprise.