AMC Dine-In 600 North Michigan 9
600 N. Michigan Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60611
600 N. Michigan Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60611
13 people
favorited this theater
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Please update, 829 seats, capacity reduced due to AMC Signature Recliners
It’s now a Dine-In
I also posted the Cineplex Odeon display ad from November 27 Chicago Tribune in the photos
PLEASE UPDATE, THE THEATRE OPENED ON NOVEMBER 27, 1996.. WRONG DATE IN DESCRIPTION. It was a Cineplex Odeon Theatre, which became Loews Cineplex before it was merge with AMC, the curent owners.
I was at the opening. Mickey Rooney cut the ribbon to auditorium 1.
This opened on December 6th, 1996. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Yes, all recliner seats now in each auditorium.
According to the AMC web site they have an ad saying “Reclining Soon” showing a recliner chair, so probably that’s what they’re doing in some of their cinemas.
Also the Eddie Bauer store that occupied the first 2 or 3 floors of the building has closed. Shame too because I really enjoyed shopping there.
Are they doing renovations to this theater? I noticed recently, they’ve been only showing 3 or 4 movies. And the movie times are not staggered as if they’re playing om 2 or 3 screens.
Went to the 4:25 showing of “COSMOPOLIS” today; a total of 4 people in the auditorium. One reason I like the 600 North- not many people attend Monday through Thursday. Even though it lacks stadium seating, it’s quite comfortable. Not as nice as River East 21, but close.
I went here recently on a Friday afternoon to see “Moonrise Kingdom”. It was almost a private screening as my wife and I were the only ones in the theatre.
Maybe it was the wrong movie for the 600 North. AMC usually shows fare like this at the nearby River East and they usually show the blockbusters ar the 600 North.
Nice photo Thanks LTS.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwchicago/2519349554/
Any Photos out there?
The seating capacity for each auditorium : on the main floor-#1, 256, #2- 253, #3- 206. On the second level- auditoriums 4 and 5 each have 161 seats. On the top level, #6- 206, #7- 201, #8 was not posted, but I suspect 206 seats, and #9- 206. Approximately 1,856 seats.
John,
I didn’t realize that. I went to the Thursday night free film program almost every week and noticed that the auditorium was nearly full. Plus they staggered the show times so that the regular movies would not start anywhere around the 8pm starting time. The last free movie I saw there was the original “Exorcist” and so many free tickets were issued, it was played in the biggest auditorium, which was full.
I’m not doubting you though—I’ll bet a few people did try to sneak into the other films.
The Thursday night free-film program was discontinued because guests were taking advantage of the free film tickets but attending regular, first run films. This was revealed on nights when the free films would sell-out, yet there would be only a 20-30 seat occupation in an auditorium of over 200 seats. Sad. That is theft.
Shame on those bad people.
Also the website should be http://www.amctheatres.com/
This theatre listing needs to be updated a little bit. The chain should be AMC, not Loews Cineplex.
When under Loews' management, this was one of a handful of that chain’s cinemas which offered a free movie every Thursday night at 8pm. This was done in 2005, right before the merger with AMC, I beleive. Each month had a theme. For example, in October they showed The Excorcist, Interview with the Vampire, etc. Patrons wishing to attend did have to apply for passes on-line and each patron could bring one guest.
This plan worked for several reasons:
1) It filled seats on an otherwise lightly patronized night.
2) The rent on an older film was nominal.
3) No city or county taxes had to be paid (because the event was free).
4) And if even half the people who went bought popcorn and beverages (where the true profit is)….
This program proved to be a good idea which was very popular with movie-goers. So naturally, when the Loews-AMC merger came along, it had to be gotten rid of.
I actually worked at this theatre when it first opened.
They made a terrible miscalculation on teh middle level(screen 4-5). According to the then-manager, the mid level screens would be used for rentals(free screenings,parties, ect) mostly during the week. Hence a concession stand on that floor. We rarely opened it, as 9 out of 10 customers just bought thier food at the larger main level stand, or at the 3rd floor stand where more screens were anyways. And the fabled rental biz? All in the bigger rooms(screen 1, 6-9) as studios want to pack in a big crowd for better buzz, and not many people liked paying downtown rates for parties.
It is interesting that back when Sony-Loews and Cineplex Odeon merged, this was one of the theatres that was to be divested. The theatre was supposed to have been sold to the ill-fated Meridien Theatres chain (which lasted about 2 years). The owners of the building didn’t think that Meridien had the financial means for this property—it is in the “high-rent district” of Chicago—thus the sale was never consummated.
The United States Department of Justice did take Loews-Cineplex to court because of this failure to divest the theatre. I found the following from doing a Google search:
“In February 1999, and again in September 1999, Loews presented Meredian as the potential purchaser for this location. On both occasions, after review, the landlord concluded that the proposed assignee did not meet the criteria set forth in the lease and accordingly withheld his consent to an assignment of the lease to Meredian.”—From the USDOJ website.
Oddly enough, it was fortunate that the 600 North was not divested to Meridien as that chain only lasted about 2 years. Meridien was shut down after failing to pay the city and county amusement taxes. The 600 North remained with Loews until its 2006 merger with AMC. The theatre is now a part of the latter.
John,
That the 600 North occupies the top floors of a retail business probably explains its design. They probably had to wedge the auditoriums in whichever way they could. Refer to an above comment in which the author states that it’s like going to an IMAX film, particularly if you are in the first few rows.
You are right though, since the remodeling, it is a nicer place.
Why is this theatre so diffucult to pin-point? The theatre has 9 screens on three levels. It was designed by Cineplex Odeon, and is possibly one of the worst design models I have ever seen (20+ seat rows, the first 3 very close to the screen). The remodel is nice, the staff is improving. The fact that AMC now owns it simply gives us a choice to see film in a crazy megaplex or a poorly designed multiplex.