Alex, Demitri and the crew have made tremendous progress. I stopped in about a month ago and was amazed. The theater looks better than it did when I was in the booth. They plan to open after Christmas. Watch the web site and Facebook for more.
I just spoke to Alex the other day. He’s usually at the theater every day working on the theater. He’s also often speaking with people interested in renting an apartment or storefront. He’s still determined to open the Patio.
The organ currently in use at the Portage was built in 1927 and was previously installed at the Copernicus Center (Gateway). I think it began life in yet another theater. It was moved to the Portage and installed in December of 2008. Previous to that, a digital theater organ sat in the orchestra pit. It was installed in time for the reopening in 2006. I recall being told the Portage never had an organ although there is ample room for pipes and related equipment. Jay Warren, the savior of the Portage and one of the nicest people I know, would be happy to relate the story in accurate detail. Check portagetheater.org as there are lots of interesting events coming up.
I don’t know that the place was ever in perfect condition. Before its opening in 1987, mountains of litter were removed from the auditorium and other areas. Carpets were replaced, seats fixed, new paint applied, light bulbs changed, projectors serviced and a then state-of-the-art Dolby stereo sound system was installed. He even bought a new popcorn popper. Further repairs were made after opening including extensive work on the heating plant. One of the last jobs done before the 2001 closing was the removal a 10HP motor from the ventilation system, sending it out for rewiring, and reinstalling it. After 20+ years, the place could use some freshening up. The projectors need to be gently coaxed back to operation. New carpeting, paint, etc…. just like fixing up grandma’s place – if it sat 1,500.
The organ, a Barton, is still in place in the theater. Catoe.org has further details. I believe the Patio is now the only theater in Chicago that still has its original organ and not a transplant. As part of this long hoped for reopening, the owner is looking to get the instrument back to working order. It was well maintained in the 80s-90s but has not been touched since the theater’s closing.
That report is six years old. Alex has no intention of selling the building or converting the theater to a store or some other reuse. Many offers have been made over the years by developers who wanted to clear that corner. A recording studio once occupied a second floor office so anything’s possible regarding expansion. He’s set a realistic limit on what he intends to spend to get the main room open and is open to non-traditional events. The Copernicus Center caters largely to a Polish-speaking audience. He doesn’t want to “out Portage the Portage” either. Leaving the theater dark does not help the other tenants, the building or the neighborhood as a whole. “I want to contribute to the community” were his words. How many developers even know what that means? At his age, he could easily do nothing. I applaud his willingness to take some risks.
I just had a nice long chat with the theater’s owner – he called me right out of the blue. He’s thinking seriously of reopening. He’s discussing the repair or possible replacement of the A/C with local technicians. He’s also looking into making repairs to the bathrooms, a fresh paint job, and refurbishment of the marquee. With the Brickyard theaters closed, there’s a better chance of opening as a first run theater. He is regularly stopped on the street and asked “when will you reopen?” He reads these posts regularly so now’s your chance to let him know you support the effort.
P.S. DaveK is correct about the balcony seat dilemma. Removal of the seats would have made the room too reverberant making dialog hard to hear.
The monsignor is somewhat mistaken. The business licence had not expired and the owner was not on vacation. A complicated dispute over the number of useable seats played a much larger part. The number of seats, among other things, determines the Public Place of Amusement License fee. Instead of resolving the dispute, the city chose to force our closure. There is only one nearby business with a parking lot. In early days, it was available to us. After a change of ownership, requests for access were refused. It always seemed strange to us, when discussing parking, to see empty buses roll by.
I recall seeing the Smashing Pumpkins at a place called the Kenosha Orpheum in the late 80’s. Most of the seats were removed as was the screen. The place was a bit run down but largely in tact. Could this be the same place?
The Music Box’s location plays a large part in it’s success. It’s much closer to a market more interested in small, independent films. Don’t forget, before video, they were strictly a revival house and teetered on the brink many times. The second screening room is a help. Plus, parking is available. The Patio’s neighbors preferred a more mainstream offering. Family friendly films made money. Anything ambitious left the room empty. The Portage is an entirely different animal. The Patio was run like a conventional movie theater. The Portage is run more like a cultural foundation. Although its present operator has made a significant personal investment similar to Alex, the theater is rented by exhibitors who are responsible for marketing their product. That shields the theater from risk somewhat. And the Silent Film Society was a going concern before moving there. The Portage Park/6 Corners area is also a darling of local politicians interested in its rebirth. They’ve provided assistance not available in the Patio’s neighborhood. Once again, available parking helps. And a first class A/C and a large stage. I’ve often wondered, if we had an unlimited supply of money and did everything we could for the Patio, would people come? Would we recoup the investment? As Alex has often said, “I bought an apartment building and the theater was thrown in for free.”
There are many reasons why we closed. In short, the fixed costs were just too high. Print rentals plus the box office take for the studio for one. Heating and electrical costs in the hundreds per night, no A/C, high costs for concessions, lighting, licenses… I don’t know how he was able to stay open as long as he did. We averaged about 50-60 people per night. Alex agonized over raising the box office price to $3. We had to in order to get films before they went to video. Attendance fell anyway. We tried more esoteric films but there was no interest. Studio restrictions prevented us from going first run. Local newspapers would often print incorrect schedule info so we gave up on that. Organ concert attendance began to dwindle as the audience aged. Inspite of dedicated volunteer labor, maintenance was needed constantly and was still costly. I would love nothing more than to say hi to Alex and step into the booth again. The reality of running a theater make that impossible.
I spoke to the owner last September. He keeps the theater heated in winter and does a bit of cleaning. The place is just as we left it. We could have a movie on the screen in no time at all. If anyone knows how to repair the cooling units used on WW2 Liberty Ships, we could get the A/C working again. It’s the same type of unit used to keep food cold aboard ship. A Navy vet used to keep it going but when he died he took the secrets with him.
Louis Antonelli informed me that Alex, the owner of the Patio Theater, will be part of a discussion panel at the Portage screening on 9/16. Bring your questions to Louis and Alex. You’ll find them to be interesting and knowledgeable characters.
MP775, you’re not entirely correct. Sportif is alive and well. They successfully fought attempts by the city and developers to steal their property and demolish their shop. They are surrounded by vacant parcels formerly occupied by a bank and other storefronts.
I don’t have photos but, I shot a brief video as a college project just before the theater reopened in 1987. Mostly pans of the interior with no script, just theater organ music. I remember the theater in its evil period. Dirty, usually closed, litter strewn… then I saw work getting done so I poked around. I met Alex and pitched the idea. Soon, I was setting up lights and lugging around a giant video camera. I don’t remember my grade but Alex was pleased with his copy. I’ll dig up the tape and make you a copy. How can I get it to you? Maybe someone can post it on this site.
It wouldn’t be impossible, just expensive. The building is basically sound, the organ and projection equipment is in place and should need minimal work to get going. We had a giant ventilation motor rewired a few months before closing and the boiler was recently repaired. We also had a new popcorn machine. Updated wiring and such would help make it what it once was.
As far as I know, the building is not for sale. Renting may be a possibility but many upgrades would be needed. Codes were strengthened after a recent incident at a Chicago night club. An electric generator sufficient to replace power during an outage would be needed. Also, the air conditioner needs to be replaced. The electrical system, while sound, is original to the building and would probably need to be upgraded. The nearby Portage Theater has been modernized this way and is a success. There is a phone number on the building’s office entrance. It might be worth a try.
Bryan, your photo is the lobby soon after it was fully cleaned and repainted. It was taken for an article about the theater and Chicago film makers that I recall was a Reader cover story. Alex, the owner, is resting his hand on the shoulder of Louis Antonelli, lead projectionist and noted Chicago film maker. He taught me the trade. The other two at the right are associates of his. Lighting all the lobby’s lights added at least $100 to the electric bill in the late 90’s so we only lit the box office’s “crown” and one or two bright bulbs in the chandelier.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive classic theater, try the LaSalle Bank Cinema at 4901 W Irving Park Rd in Chicago. A classic film+short is shown every Saturday night at 8pm. A loosely themed program runs for 6mos. starting in January and June. Admission is $5, less for seniors. Entrance and free parking is at the rear. Check the Reader for films as they are out of schedule booklets and the June edition is not ready.
To Chrisk36, Alex agonized over raising the price from $2 to $3 for a long time. It allowed us to get films sooner after 1st run but we risked losing customers to video. The studios took 50% of the box office, sometimes up front. The cost of renting the prints, licensing, insurance, heat were too much to bear. Then the A/C blew up. I still miss the place. We could have a movie on the screen in less than an hour as we left the booth in ready condition.
The plan is to show first run movies. Owners are currently negotiating with the studios and assessing the status of the projection and sound systems.
Alex, Demitri and the crew have made tremendous progress. I stopped in about a month ago and was amazed. The theater looks better than it did when I was in the booth. They plan to open after Christmas. Watch the web site and Facebook for more.
I just spoke to Alex the other day. He’s usually at the theater every day working on the theater. He’s also often speaking with people interested in renting an apartment or storefront. He’s still determined to open the Patio.
The organ currently in use at the Portage was built in 1927 and was previously installed at the Copernicus Center (Gateway). I think it began life in yet another theater. It was moved to the Portage and installed in December of 2008. Previous to that, a digital theater organ sat in the orchestra pit. It was installed in time for the reopening in 2006. I recall being told the Portage never had an organ although there is ample room for pipes and related equipment. Jay Warren, the savior of the Portage and one of the nicest people I know, would be happy to relate the story in accurate detail. Check portagetheater.org as there are lots of interesting events coming up.
I don’t know that the place was ever in perfect condition. Before its opening in 1987, mountains of litter were removed from the auditorium and other areas. Carpets were replaced, seats fixed, new paint applied, light bulbs changed, projectors serviced and a then state-of-the-art Dolby stereo sound system was installed. He even bought a new popcorn popper. Further repairs were made after opening including extensive work on the heating plant. One of the last jobs done before the 2001 closing was the removal a 10HP motor from the ventilation system, sending it out for rewiring, and reinstalling it. After 20+ years, the place could use some freshening up. The projectors need to be gently coaxed back to operation. New carpeting, paint, etc…. just like fixing up grandma’s place – if it sat 1,500.
The organ, a Barton, is still in place in the theater. Catoe.org has further details. I believe the Patio is now the only theater in Chicago that still has its original organ and not a transplant. As part of this long hoped for reopening, the owner is looking to get the instrument back to working order. It was well maintained in the 80s-90s but has not been touched since the theater’s closing.
That report is six years old. Alex has no intention of selling the building or converting the theater to a store or some other reuse. Many offers have been made over the years by developers who wanted to clear that corner. A recording studio once occupied a second floor office so anything’s possible regarding expansion. He’s set a realistic limit on what he intends to spend to get the main room open and is open to non-traditional events. The Copernicus Center caters largely to a Polish-speaking audience. He doesn’t want to “out Portage the Portage” either. Leaving the theater dark does not help the other tenants, the building or the neighborhood as a whole. “I want to contribute to the community” were his words. How many developers even know what that means? At his age, he could easily do nothing. I applaud his willingness to take some risks.
I just had a nice long chat with the theater’s owner – he called me right out of the blue. He’s thinking seriously of reopening. He’s discussing the repair or possible replacement of the A/C with local technicians. He’s also looking into making repairs to the bathrooms, a fresh paint job, and refurbishment of the marquee. With the Brickyard theaters closed, there’s a better chance of opening as a first run theater. He is regularly stopped on the street and asked “when will you reopen?” He reads these posts regularly so now’s your chance to let him know you support the effort.
P.S. DaveK is correct about the balcony seat dilemma. Removal of the seats would have made the room too reverberant making dialog hard to hear.
The monsignor is somewhat mistaken. The business licence had not expired and the owner was not on vacation. A complicated dispute over the number of useable seats played a much larger part. The number of seats, among other things, determines the Public Place of Amusement License fee. Instead of resolving the dispute, the city chose to force our closure. There is only one nearby business with a parking lot. In early days, it was available to us. After a change of ownership, requests for access were refused. It always seemed strange to us, when discussing parking, to see empty buses roll by.
I recall seeing the Smashing Pumpkins at a place called the Kenosha Orpheum in the late 80’s. Most of the seats were removed as was the screen. The place was a bit run down but largely in tact. Could this be the same place?
The Music Box’s location plays a large part in it’s success. It’s much closer to a market more interested in small, independent films. Don’t forget, before video, they were strictly a revival house and teetered on the brink many times. The second screening room is a help. Plus, parking is available. The Patio’s neighbors preferred a more mainstream offering. Family friendly films made money. Anything ambitious left the room empty. The Portage is an entirely different animal. The Patio was run like a conventional movie theater. The Portage is run more like a cultural foundation. Although its present operator has made a significant personal investment similar to Alex, the theater is rented by exhibitors who are responsible for marketing their product. That shields the theater from risk somewhat. And the Silent Film Society was a going concern before moving there. The Portage Park/6 Corners area is also a darling of local politicians interested in its rebirth. They’ve provided assistance not available in the Patio’s neighborhood. Once again, available parking helps. And a first class A/C and a large stage. I’ve often wondered, if we had an unlimited supply of money and did everything we could for the Patio, would people come? Would we recoup the investment? As Alex has often said, “I bought an apartment building and the theater was thrown in for free.”
There are many reasons why we closed. In short, the fixed costs were just too high. Print rentals plus the box office take for the studio for one. Heating and electrical costs in the hundreds per night, no A/C, high costs for concessions, lighting, licenses… I don’t know how he was able to stay open as long as he did. We averaged about 50-60 people per night. Alex agonized over raising the box office price to $3. We had to in order to get films before they went to video. Attendance fell anyway. We tried more esoteric films but there was no interest. Studio restrictions prevented us from going first run. Local newspapers would often print incorrect schedule info so we gave up on that. Organ concert attendance began to dwindle as the audience aged. Inspite of dedicated volunteer labor, maintenance was needed constantly and was still costly. I would love nothing more than to say hi to Alex and step into the booth again. The reality of running a theater make that impossible.
I spoke to the owner last September. He keeps the theater heated in winter and does a bit of cleaning. The place is just as we left it. We could have a movie on the screen in no time at all. If anyone knows how to repair the cooling units used on WW2 Liberty Ships, we could get the A/C working again. It’s the same type of unit used to keep food cold aboard ship. A Navy vet used to keep it going but when he died he took the secrets with him.
Louis Antonelli informed me that Alex, the owner of the Patio Theater, will be part of a discussion panel at the Portage screening on 9/16. Bring your questions to Louis and Alex. You’ll find them to be interesting and knowledgeable characters.
MP775, you’re not entirely correct. Sportif is alive and well. They successfully fought attempts by the city and developers to steal their property and demolish their shop. They are surrounded by vacant parcels formerly occupied by a bank and other storefronts.
I don’t have photos but, I shot a brief video as a college project just before the theater reopened in 1987. Mostly pans of the interior with no script, just theater organ music. I remember the theater in its evil period. Dirty, usually closed, litter strewn… then I saw work getting done so I poked around. I met Alex and pitched the idea. Soon, I was setting up lights and lugging around a giant video camera. I don’t remember my grade but Alex was pleased with his copy. I’ll dig up the tape and make you a copy. How can I get it to you? Maybe someone can post it on this site.
It wouldn’t be impossible, just expensive. The building is basically sound, the organ and projection equipment is in place and should need minimal work to get going. We had a giant ventilation motor rewired a few months before closing and the boiler was recently repaired. We also had a new popcorn machine. Updated wiring and such would help make it what it once was.
As far as I know, the building is not for sale. Renting may be a possibility but many upgrades would be needed. Codes were strengthened after a recent incident at a Chicago night club. An electric generator sufficient to replace power during an outage would be needed. Also, the air conditioner needs to be replaced. The electrical system, while sound, is original to the building and would probably need to be upgraded. The nearby Portage Theater has been modernized this way and is a success. There is a phone number on the building’s office entrance. It might be worth a try.
Bryan, your photo is the lobby soon after it was fully cleaned and repainted. It was taken for an article about the theater and Chicago film makers that I recall was a Reader cover story. Alex, the owner, is resting his hand on the shoulder of Louis Antonelli, lead projectionist and noted Chicago film maker. He taught me the trade. The other two at the right are associates of his. Lighting all the lobby’s lights added at least $100 to the electric bill in the late 90’s so we only lit the box office’s “crown” and one or two bright bulbs in the chandelier.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive classic theater, try the LaSalle Bank Cinema at 4901 W Irving Park Rd in Chicago. A classic film+short is shown every Saturday night at 8pm. A loosely themed program runs for 6mos. starting in January and June. Admission is $5, less for seniors. Entrance and free parking is at the rear. Check the Reader for films as they are out of schedule booklets and the June edition is not ready.
To Chrisk36, Alex agonized over raising the price from $2 to $3 for a long time. It allowed us to get films sooner after 1st run but we risked losing customers to video. The studios took 50% of the box office, sometimes up front. The cost of renting the prints, licensing, insurance, heat were too much to bear. Then the A/C blew up. I still miss the place. We could have a movie on the screen in less than an hour as we left the booth in ready condition.