Shangri-La Theater
222 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
222 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
1 person
favorited this theater
The Rhumba Casino, which opened in 1941, was built on the site of the Three Deuces nightclub (which was in business since the mid-1920’s until it was destroyed in a fire in 1940. It gets its name from its address at 222 N. State Street). In 1944, the space became the Polynesian/Far Eastern-themed Shangri-La restaurant.
After the restaurant was closed in 1968, it was remodeled into the Shangri-La Theater in 1969-70. It was operated by Kohlberg Theaters, which was also the last chain to run the nearby Oriental Theatre as well as a number of other theaters and drive-ins around the Midwest. Opened June 26, 1970 with “The Strawberry Statement”, the Shangri-La Theatre began to show pornographic films within a year.
Operating into at least 1979, the building which housed the Shangri-La Theatre was demolished in 1981. Its site was used for a while as a parking lot. Eventually the remainder of the buildings on the entire block, an office building and retail stores, a fire station and a parking garage, were demolished and replaced by a hotel, now the Renaissance Chicago.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
I saw a John Holmes double feature at this theater. It was a little strange – not like a real movie theater. Now I know it was really a restaurant it makes more sense.
A night photo of the Shangri-La when it was still a restaurant: View link
It should be noted that Jazz Legend Art Tatum was a frequent piano player at the Three Deuces Night Club on this site back in the late 1930’s. Art was then and still is now the greatest Jazz pianist of all time. And in 55 years since his passing at age 47, no one has been able to equal his extraordinary technical skills at the piano. He was one of a kind.
I’ve added some more images to the Photos Section. One is of the Rhumba Casino that preceded the Shangri-La Restaurant, but in the same building.
Saint Patrick’s Day Parade 1959 photo added, courtesy of the Chicago’s Extinct Businesses facebook page.
1973 Tribune photo by Quentin C. Dodt in the link below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBNnW9xqS0K/
This opened on June 26th, 1970. Grand opening ad in the photo section. Adult programming by the end of 1970 until it closed.
1982 photo added credit John P. Keating Jr., that shows the parking structure continued to stand operational after the demolition of the Shangri-La in 1981. Additional parking was created were it had stood as well. So the subsequent demolition of the parking structure and hotel development happened later.
“Happy Birthday Kup” in a brief glimpse of the Shangri-La marquee at the head end of this 1965 film on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_6iHXm_3Jw&feature=share
It appears the Shangri-La was still open in mid `79. Just added a photo that shows the State Street Mall nearing completion, and the Shangri-La still seems possibly active.