Rush Theatre
874 N. Wabash Street,
Chicago,
IL
60611
874 N. Wabash Street,
Chicago,
IL
60611
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Located in what was formerly known as McCormickville, in Near North neighborhood. This small theatre stood on N. Wabash Street between E. Delaware Place and E. Chestnut Street. The Rush Theatre was open by April 1972 and lasted until 1974.
Housed in a former coach house, which was later converted into office space in the 1940’s, then starting in 1956, a series of nightclubs, starting with the Scotch Mist, later known as the Rat Fink and then the Alley, it would be converted into an adult cinema in 1972. After the Rush Theatre closed, it became the Candy Store, a notorious strip club, which was a frequent target of police raids in the 1970’s & early-1980’s. The Candy Store was finally closed in 1983.
It was later demolished and the Hotel Sofitel Magnificent Mile opened on the site in 2002.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
The above address is incorrect. The Rush Theatre was located at 874 N. Wabash, not Rush. Conners Park has been a park since 1848. Google Conners Park on the www.ChicagoParkDistrict.com website for it’s history. The Alley, Rat Fink, Scotch Mist & Candy Store listed above were also all at the Wabash address. A photo of the Candy Store in 1976 can be found on a search of the Candy Store name, Chicago and the year on a website called Gapers Block.
Here is the 1976 photo as The Candy Store.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7ex03Kg2w1rvs8d8o1_500.jpg
June 22nd 1987 article about the demise of the Candy Store.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-06-22/news/8702150905_1_soft-drinks-rush-street-corporate-charter
Whether it is the true opening date or not, the first ad for the Rush Theatre appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Friday, April 21, 1972. Featured movie was NICOLE, plus three featurettes and a cartoon.
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1972/04/21/