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Lakeshore Theater to become the Chicago branch of L.A.’s Laugh Factory
posted by
CSWalczak
on
February 23, 2011 at 3:50 pm
CHICAGO, IL — Closed since April of 2010, the Lakeshore Theater will become the Chicago outpost of the Los Angeles Laugh Factory. Originally opened in 1915, the theater was once operated by Balaban & Katz, Cineplex-Odeon, and the Meridian chains and was also known as the Broadway Theater. The venue will be renovated to provide a more cabaret-like setting for the comedy acts.
Lakeshore struggled for eight years to make a go of it, the final three by booking cutting-edge comics in its theater-style room. Owner Chris Ritter pulled the plug last April, in part because the building needed more rehab work than revenues would allow.
After that, the space was nearly converted to dental offices, but the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce pleaded with the building’s owner to give them time to help find a tenant that would continue to bring new visitors and nighttime foot traffic to the area, said Maureen Martino, the Lakeview Chamber’s executive director.
The full story is in the Chicago Tribune.
