Chicago’s Lakeshore Theater closes on April 10

posted by CSWalczak on April 6, 2010 at 7:40 am

CHICAGO, IL — The Lakeshore Theater, which most recently has served as a live performance venue for comedy and other acts, will close on April 10. Originally opened in 1914, it became a part of the Balaban & Katz chain. It was later operated by Cineplex Odeon as the Broadway Cinema before closing in 2002, as one of the last ( if not the last) of Chicago’s neighborhood single-screen theaters to close. Its future is at best uncertain, as substantial upgrades are needed to its physical plant.

What I had initially hoped was an April Fool’s Day joke was in fact a sad truth, The Lakeshore Theater announced last night via twitter, Facebook and a heartfelt email that it will close permanently on April 10.

According to owner Chris Ritter, “Although revenues have been growing year after year, and the Lakeshore brand of great comedy, music and good times has been successfully established, our revenues are simply insufficient to fund ongoing operations and the plant improvements that would be required to continue and take the business to the next level of success.”

There is a story here in Time Out.

Theaters in this post

• Laugh Factory