Brighton Theatre
4223 S. Archer Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60632
4223 S. Archer Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60632
17 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 84 comments
It does indeed appear to have opened in 1919, from the Tribune. This makes more sense with the Brighton’s architecture as well.
Cool! Check your email, Igg. I sent you some info. If anyone else wants a piece of the facade, just LMK. No charge, just pay exact shipping. I never intended on making a dime off it, I just figured I’d grab a bunch of pieces for when I run into other people who loved that theater as much as I did, so they’d have a source to get a “souvenir” so to speak. Man, I miss that place!
Vintage Bob, I think you can access my info now.. feel free to try again. Thanks
Igg, you don’t seem to have your contact info set so that others can contact you. If you enable it, I can send you a PM so we can get you a piece of the facade. ;–)
Otherwise, send me a PM with your email so I can write you.
Vintage Bob,
I, too, loved the Brighton. I used to spend all day there on Saturdays. Double Features for $1.75… Memories are so wonderful of my time spent there. I would love a piece of the facade…. please message me if you can .Thanks!
When the value goes up up up and the prices go down down down Robert Hall is the reason for every season is how the jingle used to go. As I remember. Moreys liquor store was north of White Castles in the 60’s. I would get a new Easter suit every year from Rober Halls. Mom would buy her wine at Moreys. She was born at 44th and Troy in ‘22. Her mom was born in Brighton Park in 1900. I live about 15 blocks away. Grandma would take mom to the theater in the 30’s. I used to go there in the 60’s. I love the photos. Neil VS
It may have been i always recall it as the Forest City it could have ben a clothing store it sure is big enuff. :)
Believe based upon CHI74’s description, that the Forest Auto store was formerly in the 1950’s a Robert Hall clothing store
Vintage Bob,
The bowling alley did not become Forest Auto the bowling alley was behind the auto part store.
Going North up Kedzie starting at Archer on the left side of the street was (or is) the White Castle then the White Castle parking lot then the Forest City(doller store) then the parking lot for the Forest City and right on the corner was or is a i want to say tan or cream color loking buld. that was the bowling alley .
I think it was called something like the Brightion Park lanes or something like that , i think their was a bar on street level and the alley was up stares.
CHI74, I do the same. I try to remember all the great places in Brighton Park as I drive through…the Park Restaurant, Community Smokeshop, Gerties, Huck Finn, Brighton Theater, Archer Avenue Big Store, Fannie May, etc.
I remember often stopping at Huck Finn, White Castle, Park Restaurant, or the Golden Heart after or before a show at the Brighton Theater. There was a bowling alley just past Archer on Kedzie by Huck Finn, that later became a Forest Auto store and is now a dollar store. Any idea what the bolwing alley name was?
Vintage Bob,
This is true it back in the day all you needed was on Archer we would walk to the Brightion and then go home, now that is not an a good idea after a certin hour. But i guess that is why that are called the “Wonder Years” becuse after a while we “Wonder” waht happened to them! The Brightion will be missed even after the gapping hole of a lot has a buld. on it and the fence comes down.
Every time i drive down Archer i glance over in the direction of the theatre and recall all the fun.
Thank you for your time.
CHI74, I think you’re right. The place that was Gerties is still there. I think it’s now a tiny Mexican restaurant. It is a shame. Brighton Park is getting totally run down and infested with gangs now. Very little is even in English anymore, and almost every building has graffiti on it.
Oh, by the way. The jewelry store was to the left of the Brighton when facing the doors not the right. I noticed in my last post that I had that turned around. Next to the jewlery store was Wolf Furniture, which is now Watra, a Catholic religious store.
Vintage Bob, The Brightion Jewlery shop moved up Archer to Central Ave and it was torn down to make way for a Walgreens.
I must have not ben paying attention to the name i think the buld. that housed the gerties is still their i think it is a resturant.
It is just sad that the brightion could not be save and used for someting like the CRAIN across the street .
Thank you for you time keep typing :)
CHI74, the gold store was actually right next door to Fannie May. It was in the part of the building next to it, right before the alley. Gerties was off to the right of the Brighton (when facing it). I think it was owned by the same people who owned the Gerties by the Colony. I remember stopping in there after school in the early 70’s to get hot chocolate, which they made with milk, not water. Yum! I remember the jewelry store to the right of the Brighton. Tiny little place! That got torn down along with the theater. :–(
Vintage Bob: The fire house is on Sacamento off of Archer ave.it was one of the fire houses that were used, it is in the “First day of work ” shot, also the other firehouse was the Chinatown House.
this pic must have ben taken right after demo their is a old fence on the spot now.
Also i recall Wolf furniture that is now Watra
And the Fannie may Candies is now i think a gold store
But i can not recall a Gerties ice cream by the Brightion i recall one by the Colony.
Next to the brightion (if you were facing the front door) to the left was the Brightion Park Jewlery Store and to the right was some kind of sweet shop.
And up Archer ave. was the Brightion Park dollar store and the Archer Big Store.
Thank you, sam_e.
TShaffer: By clicking on the box “Notify me when someone replies to my comment” means that you will be notified whenever a comment is posted on this theatre site, whether the comment is meant for you directly or not.
PLEASE HELP!! Someone tell me how to access a message left for me on this site. I’ve been notified three times and there’s nothing here directed at me.
Well, these are sad pics, but nonetheless pics of the site where the glorious Brighton Theater once stood. The first shot is a more wide angle shot:
http://www.undermountain.org/brighton-lot1.jpg
The big grassy open spot in the center is where the Brighton Theater stood. The triangular shaped building to the north of the lot is now Watra, a Catholic religious store. It used to be Wolf’s Furniture in the 60’s and 70’s. Going southeast of the lot is where Gertie’s Ice Cream used to stand. Fannie May Candies was in the building just north of Watra/Wolf Furniture.
The red building on the left side of the photo is the firehouse where the movie Backdraft was filmed.
Here’s a close-up of the lot where the Brighton stood:
http://www.undermountain.org/brighton-lot2.jpg
Well, I hope that at least brings back some memories of the area, even if the theater is missing.
I have been notified twice that someone responded to my message posted on here, but I don’t see one when I reach this site. I wrote a book on the Grimes sisters, listed above as TShaffer, posted on May 24, 2006. Email is
I had hoped to get a tour for nostalgic reasons before they tore the Brighton down, but that unfortunately did not pan out. I did manage to go grab a whole bunch of chunks from the facade afer they wrecked it, as souvenirs or mementos. If anyone would like one, I can send it for the cost of shipping alone. I have a handful of sizes (most just a couple of pounds if that). I figured there’d probably be some patrons who loved that theater as much as I did, so I grabbed extra to make sure that I wouldn’t be the only one with a physical piece of the theater to hold for nostalgia. :–)
I have a nice piece with the building date sitting on a bookshelf.
I just went by the BRIGHTION PARK THEATRE or what is left of the theatre the only thing that is left is a small part of the tile by the sidewalk . It is just an empty lot with a broken down fence.
I am very sad that the brightion could not be save and made in to some thing that could be usefull to the public.
Thank you for your time :(
Vintage Bob , No worries thay bring back memories for me as well
but the real thanks goes to CAM and the person who took the time to post them . thanks for your time. :)
CHI74, I don’t know how to thank you for this! Just seeing the interior shots brings back so many memories! I’m still hoping to come across interior shots from the 70’s, which seems to be like paning for gold. But even these shots are simply fantastic! Thanks!
Dear Vintage Bob , Their are pics of the int of the Brightion thanks to a posting on the “Granada” page of this site posted by CAM.
the web address is www.mekong.net/random/theatres.htm
thay can be found under the SET 9 box. Thank you for you time .