I walked past here recently. Unless you’re a huge fan of late-1980s Cineplex-Odeon, Mesbur & Smith architecture, you’d never know a cinema was here. And even then you’d have to look closely.
The entranceway looks like any other professional building entrance. Windows have been cut into the side and the semi-circle where the staircase used to be. It’s really a bland-looking building.
It’s too bad Cineplex-Odeon and Loews gave up on this place so quickly and Meridian and Village ran it into the ground. Come to think of it, the Bricktown had a similar history (except that Village never ran that one).
A little off-topic, but it stinks that Kiddieland closed. That place was still profitable up until the end. I went there with my wife and my sister and her boyfriend the next-to-last weekend and we had a great time.
Regarding the description above, Kohlberg Theatres is shown as the last operator of the Oriental. I thought the Oriental was part of the M&R Theatre chain.
Zayre and Venture were two different stores. I don’t believe they were ever related. Venture lasted until the late 1990s, I believe. Most Zayres were purchased by Ames in the mid- to late-1980s, however I believe this Zayre lasted a little longer. If you’d like more information, try this website www.deadmalls.com or this site www.labelscar.com
This theatre should be updated. Originally it did open as an Essaness (one of the last), then passed to Cineplex-Odeon. It was briefly known as a Plitt.
The Lake has fixtures from closed and demolished theatres. Per Classic Cinemas' website:
“Today the Lake is home to many decorative elements brought in from theatres that are no longer standing. The ceiling fixtures in the new lobby rotunda are from the Will Rogers Theatre, which stood at 5635 West Belmont until 1991.
Two plaster musician busts are from the demolished Southtown Theatre at 636 West 63rd Street. Fixtures in the transition lobby are from a 1930’s renovation of one of the Schock houses in Austin and were removed when that house was remodeled. In Theatre #1 the art deco wall fixtures were rescued from the Colonial Theatre in Marengo, Illinois, prior to its demolition. They were repainted and over half of the glass panels were replaced. In the main auditorium two large statues have been placed over the exitways. These 10-foot neo classic ladies were originally in the organ grills at the MARBRO Theatre, 4110 West Madison, Chicago. They were done in 1927 by Flavin."
I was in here on January 25, 2009. In the main theatre restroom foyer (in the basement), there is a water fountain which appears to be an antique. Is this water fountain original to the Lake or was it “imported” from another theater?
Why did Kerasotes bail so quickly?
Their cinemas were way better than AMC’s were.
They just renovated this place too. It was good again! Let’s see if Regal runs it into the ground.
Sucks this place closed.
My then-girlfriend and I saw “Basic Instinct”, “Sister Act” & “Jurrasic Park” here.
I walked past here recently. Unless you’re a huge fan of late-1980s Cineplex-Odeon, Mesbur & Smith architecture, you’d never know a cinema was here. And even then you’d have to look closely.
The entranceway looks like any other professional building entrance. Windows have been cut into the side and the semi-circle where the staircase used to be. It’s really a bland-looking building.
It’s too bad Cineplex-Odeon and Loews gave up on this place so quickly and Meridian and Village ran it into the ground. Come to think of it, the Bricktown had a similar history (except that Village never ran that one).
I think it’s now something called “Rossi’s Buyer’s Depot”.
My wife and I went here to see “Sherlock Holmes”. A few things:
1) It’s not bad, but the size of this place makes it overwhelming. It sprawls and it’s very spread out.
2) The parking lot is very confusing. It’s probably the way they had to build it.
Was the Goldblatts demolished and the theatre built in its place? Or was the theatre built into the structure of the old Goldblatt’s.
Website is View link
Any news on this place?
Cinemark Fan,
A little off-topic, but it stinks that Kiddieland closed. That place was still profitable up until the end. I went there with my wife and my sister and her boyfriend the next-to-last weekend and we had a great time.
Regarding the description above, Kohlberg Theatres is shown as the last operator of the Oriental. I thought the Oriental was part of the M&R Theatre chain.
I’m glad to see that this place has re-opened. It looks like FunAsia really didn’t last very long. I wasn’t able to find a website for this theatre.
Amazing angle on that photo! It makes the weed look taller.
Catherine, I was at that theatre recently. I saw the murals and the renovations and I also think they did a great job.
Glad to see this place re-opened! At least this place and the North Riverside escaped the clutches of Village Entertainment.
Does the Gateway even show any movies anymore? If not, it is possible that the LaGrange is the last Plitt and Balaban & Katz still in business.
Cinemark Fan
Nova (AKA Westridge Court) is now closed and being redone into another Hollywood BLVD Theater.
Oh, and C-O opened the newer section of Lincoln Village around 1988. The Plaza lasted until late 1998, so they did operate concurrently.
Actually, the sequence would briely be Essaness, Plitt (briefly),
then C-O. Not positive whether or not it made it into Loews.
David Z
Zayre and Venture were two different stores. I don’t believe they were ever related. Venture lasted until the late 1990s, I believe. Most Zayres were purchased by Ames in the mid- to late-1980s, however I believe this Zayre lasted a little longer. If you’d like more information, try this website www.deadmalls.com or this site www.labelscar.com
This theatre should be updated. Originally it did open as an Essaness (one of the last), then passed to Cineplex-Odeon. It was briefly known as a Plitt.
The Lake has fixtures from closed and demolished theatres. Per Classic Cinemas' website:
“Today the Lake is home to many decorative elements brought in from theatres that are no longer standing. The ceiling fixtures in the new lobby rotunda are from the Will Rogers Theatre, which stood at 5635 West Belmont until 1991.
Two plaster musician busts are from the demolished Southtown Theatre at 636 West 63rd Street. Fixtures in the transition lobby are from a 1930’s renovation of one of the Schock houses in Austin and were removed when that house was remodeled. In Theatre #1 the art deco wall fixtures were rescued from the Colonial Theatre in Marengo, Illinois, prior to its demolition. They were repainted and over half of the glass panels were replaced. In the main auditorium two large statues have been placed over the exitways. These 10-foot neo classic ladies were originally in the organ grills at the MARBRO Theatre, 4110 West Madison, Chicago. They were done in 1927 by Flavin."
I was in here on January 25, 2009. In the main theatre restroom foyer (in the basement), there is a water fountain which appears to be an antique. Is this water fountain original to the Lake or was it “imported” from another theater?
I love the tacky blue marquee! The later gold and white one was an improvement!
As for “Bloody Mama”, it was a Roger Corman film. ‘Nuff said.
It should now be listed as “closed/renovating”. Per Nova’s website, it will re-open as a Hollywood Boulevard.
I wonder if this place was so short-lived because of its close proximity to Chicago Ridge 6. And did people constantly get the two confused?
Cinemark Fan,
Did Cineplex-Odeon remodel it into their “classic” C-O scheme like at the Lincoln Village or Burnham Plaza?
Fandango still has the place open and showing “Bedtime Stories”, “The Spirit”, “Valkyrie”, and “Yes Man”.