I re3cently went to see The Great Pretenders (a Pretenders Tribute Band) here recently and I thought, “What a great restoration!” The previous time I was in here was in 1990 to see the movie “Joe Vs the Volcano'. I remember thinking, "What a dump” back then.
As a side note, the Great Pretenders are also known as Deacon Bleus, a Steely Dan Tribute Band.
The end of the road for the New 400 may be near. According to a CBS Channel-2 news report, dated March 2, 2023, the owner of the theater said that he plans on cllosing it in 2023. Attendance has not bownced back from the 2020 Pandemic closure. The report further stated that the theater will likely become a bar, nightclub, or restaurant.
It is a shame that the Pickwick is closing. I remember coming here with my cousins (who lived within walking distance) to see kids' matinees on Saturday afternoons.
Classic Cinemas is the only possible chain I can think of to take over the theater. But they may have their hands full with the recent take over of the LaGrange.
This will rank as one of Chicago’s shortest-lived cinemas. I always thought that the place was rather pricey plus you had to pay for parking.
Will this cinema ever return? I’m not so sure. The fallout from the pandemic has veered potential customers to streaming. Plus this area is over-screened. The Webster Place and the City North 14 are a stone’s throw away (and who knows if Regal plans to re-open them). Plus the Logan is fairly close too.
As I remember, this theater was actually built around 2005-2006 when the whole “Block 37” was built. It was supposed to have3 been operated by Muvico. but the deal fell through and in fact the cinema sat mothballed for several years. Finally AMC agreed to operate it.
I also find it interesting that the complex and the cinema were named for the derisive name for the project. The short version is that the City of Chicago demolished the black circa 1989-1990 for “urban renewal” and the block sat vacant for many years. Block 37 is the city’s official “block” # for the site.
The block was also the site of the Roosevelt and the United Artists theaters.
Interesting that of the three former ICE (Inner City Entertainment) theaters that opened in 1997, this survived whereas the other two have closed. The Lawndale sits empty and the 62nd & Western has been demolished.
A nice evening photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgaken/53202641181/in/dateposted/
I re3cently went to see The Great Pretenders (a Pretenders Tribute Band) here recently and I thought, “What a great restoration!” The previous time I was in here was in 1990 to see the movie “Joe Vs the Volcano'. I remember thinking, "What a dump” back then.
As a side note, the Great Pretenders are also known as Deacon Bleus, a Steely Dan Tribute Band.
A photo of the marquee can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgaken/52901550729/in/feed-37557200-1684203949-1-72157721670310168
Per the above cmments, this theatre is still open.
A great photo can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgaken/52731299581/in/feed-37557200-1678165103-1-72157721660595872
The end of the road for the New 400 may be near. According to a CBS Channel-2 news report, dated March 2, 2023, the owner of the theater said that he plans on cllosing it in 2023. Attendance has not bownced back from the 2020 Pandemic closure. The report further stated that the theater will likely become a bar, nightclub, or restaurant.
It is a shame that the Pickwick is closing. I remember coming here with my cousins (who lived within walking distance) to see kids' matinees on Saturday afternoons.
Classic Cinemas is the only possible chain I can think of to take over the theater. But they may have their hands full with the recent take over of the LaGrange.
It’s been closed for quite some time because of COVID. No word on when it’s going to re-open.
A recent photo can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/51706530301/in/feed-37608235-1637952842-1-72157719988212419
My photo was actually taken on July 17, 2021.
Like all cinemas, it was closed because of Covid-19. Per its website, it is currently closed because of renovations.
What a shame that this place closed. Have any plans been announced regarding its future?
Cinemark Fan–glad to see you’re still here and posting. I’ve slowly gotten back into this website.
This theater seems to have had more than its share of ups and downs.
A photo of the Granada can be seen here https://www.flickr.com/photos/elzopilote/51154336185/in/feed-7240-1619959354-3-72157719080642001
This will rank as one of Chicago’s shortest-lived cinemas. I always thought that the place was rather pricey plus you had to pay for parking.
Will this cinema ever return? I’m not so sure. The fallout from the pandemic has veered potential customers to streaming. Plus this area is over-screened. The Webster Place and the City North 14 are a stone’s throw away (and who knows if Regal plans to re-open them). Plus the Logan is fairly close too.
“A decision was made to shutter the theatre permanently without future movie screenings and announced in June of 2020.”
I think this will be the fate of many cinemas within the next 12 months.
Whatever happened to this place? Was it ever demolished?
It’s now a Dine-In
As I remember, this theater was actually built around 2005-2006 when the whole “Block 37” was built. It was supposed to have3 been operated by Muvico. but the deal fell through and in fact the cinema sat mothballed for several years. Finally AMC agreed to operate it.
I also find it interesting that the complex and the cinema were named for the derisive name for the project. The short version is that the City of Chicago demolished the black circa 1989-1990 for “urban renewal” and the block sat vacant for many years. Block 37 is the city’s official “block” # for the site.
The block was also the site of the Roosevelt and the United Artists theaters.
Interesting that of the three former ICE (Inner City Entertainment) theaters that opened in 1997, this survived whereas the other two have closed. The Lawndale sits empty and the 62nd & Western has been demolished.
This theater has been demolished https://www.flickr.com/photos/25165196@N08/48571417847/in/album-72157668685405374/
Anything new happening at the theater?
Recent photo here https://www.flickr.com/photos/93173492@N00/41948117970/in/pool-53328547@N00
A recent photo of the theater can be seen here https://www.flickr.com/photos/139006479@N05/42862546474/in/pool-82838546@N00/
Is it going to be demolished?