The Portage Theater is located near six corners on the northwest side of Chicago.  It opened on December, 1920.  It was first called the Potage Park Theater.

It was built for the Ascher Brothers chain.  The architects were Mark Kalischer and Henry Newhouse.  It was built exclusively as a movie house.  It had one movie screen.  Its capacity was 1,938 seats.

The auditorium had a megaphone shape.  The theater design was Beaux Arts opera house.

In 1940, the Portage was purchased by the Balaban and Katz Chain.  There was renovation of the marquee, lobby, and foyer into an art deco motif.  It remained in operation for years.  In the 1960’s, it began to show Second run movies.

In the 1980’s, it was again renovated.  The movie auditorium was split in two by a wall. Over the years, the Portage was  also managed by ABC Theaters and M & R Theaters.

The Portage was closed between 20001 and 2006.  It reopened in 2006 after another renovation.  The auditorium was reconverted to a single screen.   Seating capacity was 1300 seats.  It exhibited both silent and classic sound films.

The Portage Theater has been home of the Silent Film Society of Chicago and the northwest Chicago Film Society.  It has been a participant in the Chicago Polish Film Festival.

 

In March, 2016,  Eddie Carranza sold the Portage Theater, the eight storefronts in the theater building and 34 apartments for 2.5 million dollars to BCL Multifamily LLC (part of private equity firm Barnett Capital , LTD).

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos and text are copyrighted.

     The Gateway Theater is located at 5216 West Lawrence in Chicago in the Jefferson Park neighborhood..

     It opened in June, 1930 for the Balaban and Katz Chain.  Architects were Rapp and Rapp.  It was an elaborate movie auditorium.  There were classical Roman flourishes.   Ceiling was dark blue with twinkling stars ( on a recent visit by the author, there was only one twinkling light).   There were statuaries and vines on the side walls.  It’s capacity was 2092 seats.  It was built to exhibit movies.

     It operated through the 1970’s.  It was later managed by the Plitt Chain and Publix Theaters.

     In the mid 1980’s,  the theater was sold by Plitt to the Copernicus Foundation ( a Polish American Society).  The interior of the Gateway was extensively renovated.   A clock tower called the Solidarity Tower was added.

     The theater hosts community gatherings and live concerts.  In the past, special movie screenings were done.  However, this practice has ceased.

The Pickwick Theater is located in Park Ridge, Illinois at 5 S. Prospect Avenue.  It opened in 1928.  It operated as a movie and a vaudeville venue.  It had one screen and a seating capacity of 1476 seats.  The architects were Roscoe Harold Zook, William F. Mc Caughey, and Alfonso Iannelli.  The building style is art deco.  There is a distinguished marquee and a 100 foot tower.  The theater auditorium was built to resemble an Aztec or Mayan temple.

In 1975, the theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Seating capacity was reduced by 200 in 1968; by 400 in 2012.

In 1990, 3 smaller auditoriums and screens were added to the rear of the theater.

In 2007, the Bog Theater Company presented live theatrical shows at the Pickwick.

In 2012, there was a major 1.2 million dollar renovation at the Pickwick.   Included in the project were:  a new roof; mechanical  improvements; exterior renovations; restoration of the original auditorium to its art deco style.

In 2017, owner Dino Vlahakis added a small 39 seat theater to the rear of the second floor.

     The Valencia Theater was located in Evanston, Illinois at 1580 Sherman Avenue.  It was originally known as the Evanston Theater.

     It was constructed in 1911.  The architect was John E.O. Pridmore.  It opened as a vaudeville venue but was later converted to a movie theater with one screen.

     In 1925, it was renamed the New Evanston Theater.

     It underwent a complete renovation in 1932. Seating capacity was increased to 950.  Its style was changed to art deco. It was renamed the Valencia.

     Shortly after this, the theater was acquired by the Balaban and Katz Chain.  Later, it was managed by the B and K successors  ABC and Plitt.

     The theater closed in 1975.  The building was demolished in the 1980’s.  It was replaced by an 18 story building.  This is the world headquarters of Rotary International.

Unless otherwise indicated all photos and text are copyrighted.

Unless otherwise indicated all photos and text are copyrighted

Unless otherwise specified all photos and text are copyrighted

     In 1915, a theater opened in Evanston, Il at 817 Chicago Avenue.  It was called the Triangle.  It had one screen and seating for 811. Its style was art deco.   In the 1920’s, it was renamed the Park.   In the later 1920’s, there was another name change to the New Main.

     In the 1936, the theater was acquired by Balaban and Katz.  It underwent remodeling in the same year.  The architects were Periera and Periera.  Another name change occurred in the 1937–the Coronet.

    For many years, the theater continued to show first run features.  However, beginning in the 1970’s, the Coronet was unable to compete with larger multiplex theaters in the area.    It stopped function as a movie theater in 1984.    It operated as an occasional concert venue until the 1990’s.  It was demolished in 2000.

Unless otherwise indicated all photos and text are copyrighted